Motored into Boulogne after lunch, dined at mony’s. Stayed the night at the Folkestone. The place was very quiet, everything closed down at 9pm. I went in in the car that goes weekly to change our cinematograph films. Met Wilding (Bde Genl 10th Bde) at the hotel, also Fenner and Nicholson of the 6th Rl Berks.
Brigadier General CHT Lucas was CO of the 87th Brigade on the Somme. An Old Contemptible and Captain in the BEF, he had spent 1915 in the Dardanelles. This blog is made up of his Diary entries and letters written in the Summer of 1916. These are his words, published on the corresponding day as when they were written in 1916. In August 1916 his brigade was withdrawn from the Somme and deployed to the Ypres salient.
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Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Personal Diary: September 10th 1916
Attended SWB church service. Went in to watch the polo in the afternoon, played one chukka. Took Gillan for a walk after tea.
Personal Diary: September 9th 1916
The enemy put about 50 trench mortar bombs into the Borders during the fog this morning, so after lunch we gave a hundred trench mortar bombs assisted by a 6” battery a 4.5” and two 18 pdr batteries, so they will think twice before they do it again. Bde Hd Qrs & the Borders & R Inniskilling fus were relieved by rest of 86th Bde after dark & went back into rest camp.
Personal Diary: September 7th 1916
Went round the trenches with Welch & Cookson, starting at 4.30am, the work the KOSBs did last night was rotten, their offiers are rather hopeless. A flight of about 17 of our aeroplanes passed over us at 9.30am heading for Germany, they got well peppered, but I did not see any hit. There have been one or two airfights above here lately, in every case the Bosch has bolted precipitately. The Bosch were firing big mortars away on our left at dusk.
Personal Diary: September 8th 1916
The SWB and KOSBs were relieved by the 86th Bde after dark and went back into rest camp near Poperinghe.
Personal Diary: September 6th 1916
Walked all round the outside of Ypres before breakfast. General Hotham and Col West (20th Divn Art) came in to say goodbye. Fine sunny day which helped to dry things up a bit. More shelling than usual.
Personal Diary: September 5th 1916
Collected some more tiles out of Ypres before breakfast. After breakfast a pasan came in who knew something about tiles and said none of them were any good. A good deal of rain during the day. Our own artillery is coming back to us from the Somme & the 20th divn art. Is going to take their place there.
Personal Diary: September 4th 1916
Went round the trenches with De Lisle, he was quite pleasant. Started 6am got back at 10.30Am. Bayley dined and slept. Wind still unfavourable to get rid of our gas. A little rain in the afternoon.
Personal Diary: September 3rd 1916
Everything very quiet here of late. Before breakfast searched Ypres for glazed tiles.
Personal Diary: September 2nd 1916
Went round the trenches at 5.30am with Handress Lloyd. The Strand and Fleet St very wet. Motored back to near Poperinghe with Welch at 9am to see the breaking up display at the Divn school. Lunched at the 86th Bde Hd Qrs. Two gas alarms during the night, but no gas came our way. I certainly saw from the ramparts, when their flares went up, large clouds of what looked like smoke blowing northwards along no man’s land but it may have been from the shells. The Australians are back taking over the line again in these parts & the 4th Divn are coming out into Corps reserve.
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