We are still billeted at Fort Rompu and I understand the order to move has been cancelled for the present. In the meantime we are being instructed in new bayonet fighting.

Received orders tonight to be ready to move off in the morning.

Left Fort Rompu this morning about 8.45am and marched about 15 miles to a place named Pradelles, about 3 miles from Hayebrouck, a big town through which we passed on our way up to Armentieres, 3 months ago.

Left Pradelles at 10am and marched about 10 miles and camped at Ebblinghem. On our way we passed through Hayebrouck, a fine big town. The only other large town we passed through on the way was Steenwerck, which we passed on the first day’s march.

Left Ebblinghem at 9.45am and marched about 11 miles to Wiizernes where we entrained and left there about 6.30pm. Passed close to a large town today on the march, named St. Omer.

Arrived at a small station named Saleux, near the town of Amiens, in the Somme Valley about 4am. and then marched about 11 miles to a town named Picquigny on the banks of the river Somme where we are billeted for a few days. We are about 25 miles from the firing line where there is some heavy fighting going on. The French and English have advanced.

Left Picquigny at midday and marched about 12 miles to a village named Coisy, arriving there about 4.30pm.

Left Coisy today about 12.45pm and marched about 7 miles to a village named Herissart arriving there about 5pm.

Left Herissart this morning about 10am and marched about 6 miles to Warloy-Baillon arriving there at 1pm. The 1^st Australian Division is just ahead of us and will probably go into the line first. We are now about 8 miles from the front line.

Left Warloy-Baillon about 6pm and marched on about 5 miles further and are bivouacked in a paddock about 3 miles behind the front line and are very close to the town of Albert, which has been knocked about a good deal.

All last night and today there has been great artillery activity. The 1^st Division, in conjunction with the English have advanced and captured the village of Poyieres. We are under half an hours notice and may move off at any time now for the trenches.

Left the bivouac at Albert at about 9.30pm and advanced about 2 miles towards the line and are now camped in a line of trench, that was originally the German front line and was taken in the first days of July when the big offensive started.

Tues July 25^th.

We have been rambling about the trenches today, which have been knocked about a lot and all sorts of equipment and munitions, both German and English were evidently prepared for a long stay here as they had deep line dugouts, in some cases being 40 ft deep. They are tunnelled out under the parapet with steps leading down to them, some of them having 2 and 3 rooms about 12 feet square, fitted up with electric light and mattresses. In most of them the dead bodies of German soldiers are still lying and the smell is too strong to go down into them. We are prepared to move up into the front line tonight. Strings of wounded English, Australian and Germans (under escort) have been passing here today. Moved up into the trenches arriving there about 11.30pm. A. Coy are in the front and the other 3 companies in supports and reserves.

One company of the 20^th made an attack last night but were driven back with some losses. The 17^th Battalion went over with the Welsh Fusiliers today and bombed the Germans from their Front trench. All day long the Germans have kept up a very heavy bombardment on the whole of our lines and the casualties have been very heavy. Men are buried in several places on the front line and the dead are lying about. The wounded have a bad time as it is very difficult to get them out, the stretcher bearers have nearly all been wounded. Our position is in front of Pozieres which was captured by the 1^st & 2^nd brigades on Sunday night. Their was very little left of the village and the wood near it has been mown down by the shelves. The Germans are doing their best to recapture it and we are expecting them to have a go at it tonight when we hope to give them a beating. Our front trench is broken up and all communication trenches leading to it, also everywhere there being one mass of shell holes. I am helping with the stretcher bearers as they are so short handed and it is very heavy work. Did a couple of trips with the stretcher to the dressing station and was going around to A Company front line having to go across the open ground to get to it when a big shell burst over our heads, the other two who were with me were knocked down with the concussion but were unhurt and I got a small piece in the left arm just below the shoulder. Walked to dressing station and sent down to hospital so I am out of the game for a while.

Came down by ambulance to No 3 Casualty Clearing Station at Punchevilliers arriving there about 3am and left about midday by train and arrived at No 2 Australian General Hospital, Wimereux, Boulogne at dusk.

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