Get woke up about 12.30 am orders to move at once. We get packed up but dont move until about 9.0 am. Move onto the main Arras -St Pol road just past Stewart Camp. Have to Bivouac. Maj H gets sudden orders to move at night about 8.30 pm & I take over.
Fine day. Fritz still shelling Arras & back areas. We get lots of rumours but nothing definite. Visit Bttn in the afternoon & return about 8.30 pm.
Fine morning very heavy shelling. The Huns shell Arras all day & do a lot of damage to buildings etc, very little military damage. Shells all through the night. He also shells St. Pol.
Wet morning. We move at 9.0 am into our old billet at St. Nicholas. Get settled at night but not very comfy, very cold, fine at night. We relieve 2nd Coldstreams.
Wet day. Bttn move into camp leave Schramm 9.0 am. I stay with QM [Quartermaster] Stores at Schramm, we get orders to move tomorrow. We visit an Estaminet at night the first one I have visited in Arras. Very nice.
Fine morning. Training as usual. Get orders to relieve 3rd Gds Bgde [Guards Brigade]
tomorrow. Platoon matches in afternoon, but I can’t get up 4-12 draw in final 1-1.
Meet SM Britton ? Bttn Coldstreams in the evening.
Fine morning. I get up about 9.0 am. Feel a bit groggy. No church pde. Bttn does a platoon compt [competition]on the Butte de Tir range. Sgnts Comp in the afternoon. Murrell & Smith 48. Self 47. Tea on range. 4.30 pm Offrs v Sgts. We win by 17 pts. Scores Sgts 508 Offrs 491
Fine morning, very sharp frost. I stay in bed all day. SM Blackburn, Wright & Tiger Smith also SM Walker MG Btt.
Fine day. I feel groggy in the morning diarreha & sick, so stop in bed all day. Bttn Team play Gds Div M.G. Btt [Guards Divisional Machine Gun Battery] which ends in a draw 0-0, very good game.
Fine day. Bttn pde [parade] 8.30 am. Training as usual. Officers play Seaforth offs [officers] again in the afternoon & win 8.0. Quiet night & troops allowed out.