September 30th
Yesterday we worked in Somme Street trench again, also in another communication trench which was much deeper. About 10 a.m. our artillery opened a heavy fire on the enemy trenches and in reply the Germans shelled us greatly. There being no dug outs here we had to get on with it and chance our luck. There were no casualties but four men got buried and had to be dug out; they were badly shaken. Later a shell dropped on the parapet above two new privates and one had his leg blown off. The trench was wrecked and we were forced to move down to “safety” as the boys called it.
We fell in at 8:30 p.m. and entered "Tree Street communication trench" and passed the old fire trench and went up "New Tree Street", which was only about 2 feet deep, then got on the top. We passed our front line which was being held by "The Rifle Rangers", through a gap in the barbed wire. We were then paced out so many paces per man and, as a digging task, we were told to dig ourselves in as quickly as possible. This is not normal work for an officer but I had already grown close to some of the men and thought it my duty to help them.
October 9th
For the past seven days we have been making heavy attacks on the Germans. The resistance has been small and we have been slicing through their ranks. I am now starting my second day off and it is bliss.
When we arrived we were not needed so we rested all day and at night we had reinforcements sent to us. We went forward to dig an advanced fire trench but the guide took us the wrong way and led us into the enemy lines. The Germans opened fire on us, and we retired hastily and with casualties. Captain Dickson was seriously wounded, Lieutenant Clements and twelve other privates were also wounded, four died very shortly after.
October 17th
Following the German ambush when we stumbled into their lines we launched a big attack at Leuze Wood and advanced one mile in depth, taking four lines of trenches. We had twelve large caterpillars to help in this attack, which began at 4:30 a.m. Our losses were slight in comparison to the Germans but our Battalion had to be withdrawn at 10:30p.m., being too weak to hold the line.
After another four days at Leuze Wood we had taken at least 370 casualties in the Battalion. We had been ordered to press hard all through each night trying to break the German defences and our raids had been carrying us further forward every night. Our nights were very long; we left the dugouts at 5 p.m. and didn’t arrive back until 6 a.m. the following morning.
On the seventh day we advanced with the French by our sides. We took five lines of “Boche” trenches and I sustained a severe cut to my left leg caused by barbed wire, it caused immense pain and bled badly but I knew I had to carry on, so I did. We were eventually relieved from the front line at about 10:30 p.m. having sustained heavy casualties. There were only 350 of us left from a start of 800.
October 19th
A whole new battalion was sent down from HQ and we were stood down from the front, for now anyway. We came back down to the Citadel for a well earned rest, the first for over three weeks but it won’t be long until we have to go back to that hell hole and start all over again. The pain in my leg is burning, I feel violently sick and the cut is so deep it will not heel up. I may have to go to the doctor to get it checked out. I know I am not leaving on a cushy, that is the easy way out and I want to be known for my bravery, not for going home like some of the cowards that I have to deal with. I want my family to be proud even if I do come home in a box, at least then I know they will be pleased for me and my achievements whilst I have been out here. With a bit of luck we will not be needed for another few days at least, maybe weeks. The trouble is I’ll get bored and then when we get sent back to hunt down the Boche I have to admit I’ll be scared.
November 3rd
I saw a furious battle in the air this morning. Four German planes engaging three British. Two German planes and two British came down and fell in our lines. A German plane caught fire and fell in his own lines, the other one made his escape. The remaining British plane hovered above us and then made off.
In the afternoon we had to go and re-mine a bridge crossing the canal, placing seventy pounds of guncotton under it, connected with both electric and instantaneous fuse. We didn’t finish until midnight.
I am getting bored with all of this now. I have only been here a few months and in the line for less than two but already I have become sick and tired of all the discipline and strict time keeping the army has. We parade every day and I am sick to death of it. I almost look forward to the shellings; it relieves the boredom of this whole experience and adds some excitement to my life. I can’t wait to get home, not long left they reckon but then again they said that when I joined up. It could be another two years at this rate.
November 13th
I have been to the doctors about seven times in the last fortnight and they still won’t let me back for treatment at a field hospital, for all the good that will do. I have lost hope of the idea of dying like a hero, more like a cripple. I just want out of this stupid war where we are being used as pawns in a giant game of chess. The generals and commanders have no regard for anybody’s lives out here. The food isn’t getting better either. I swear they are giving us stale leftovers every day, they are disgusting. I’d rather be eating out of a dustbin. The family has been sending me packages though and this has been giving me a small amount of hope. At least they care about me, something nobody out here does.
It sounds crazy, perhaps it is, but thankfully we have another raid lined up in the next few days. Two other officers, me and fifteen men are going to try to sneak through and steal the Germans’ plans. High Command have been hearing things about Jerry’s plans and they want to spring a surprise on the old Boche, just to show ‘em we are still here, ready at any moment. I can’t wait, it will add a bit of excitement to mine and everybody else’s life. Well I better be off, nice fulfilling food is promised before we go. I will be back with my next entry after our mission, assuming everything goes well and the ambush is successful. Here’s hoping because if it’s not the army will be none the wiser about the Germans’ plans and my small group of men will be prisoners, wounded or worse.
Editor’s Note
Lieutenant Symonds’s diaries end here. The raid for the German plans was unsuccessful and the whole platoon was killed, wounded or captured. Lieutenant Symonds survived and over came the bullet wound he suffered that night. As a prisoner the badly gashed leg he talks about in his diary continued to plague him but a German nurse who somehow got enough medicines for him probably saved his life. Released in early 1919 he had the good sense to marry the nurse and they settled back in England. My grandfather was born later that year.
Jamie Symonds
10P
June/July 2003
