The Daily Grind

Good day Folks, Albert is still alive and kicking.

When I last left you I was in the trenches and off to do some sentry duty. Well that all passed without too much trouble, however Fritz is really changing the game now. He has been sending shells over regularly each day giving our trenches and the village a good old bashing. I'm mighty glad we constructed the blast trenches, we've also constructed some shelters instead of the scrape holes that we usually use. 

Although we have these places of shelter it doesn't save us from a direct hit. If your times up then that's it. Some of the blokes can't stand the stress of not knowing if the next moment is their last. For me its a case of not thinking about it, but if you let your mind wander then it soon drifts into the what ifs and then the collywobbles set in. The best thing is to keep yourself busy.

I thought I'd show you our kit, the following pictures show what we wear when we go into the trenches.

Full Dress

The Pattern 1908 Web Infantry Equipment

Web Components

The components of the Webbing are as follows:

a) Belt

b) Bayonet and Scabbard

c) Braces

d) Cartridge Carriers 

e) Pack

f) Supporting Straps

g) Haversack

h) Water Bottle

i) Intrenching Tool

The weight of everything that we carry to the front,  the webbing packed with clothing, personal hygiene equipment, water, food and ammunition, weighs over over 58 pounds That's like having a sack of spuds tied to you, and that's why I say you don't want to slip into a shell hole full of water, you'll never get out of it alive if its too deep!

Our day at the front starts with stand to. This is something that we do everyday just before dawn, it's something that is done by all infantry units at the front. Its when we could expect an attack by the enemy so we all stand to and be prepared to repulse the attack. Officers then do an inspection, they march up and down the trenches ensuring that all men are stood to and ready for any action that may come our way. Anyone not prepared and ready with their rifle and equipment is up for it. They will be severly reprimanded and may end up being court martialed for derelicting their duty.

Once dawn passes and the Hun hasn't made an attack we are then stood down. This is when we can crack on with breakfast. We have all our rations with us, enough for four days. Further rations are sometimes sent up to us. We have all the essentials in a bag and hang it up on a hook in our scrapes or in the shelters that we are now building. To leave it on the floor would allow the rats to get it. Boy there's plenty of them in these trenches. Cheeky things they are, they just run along and and pass you by like someone in the street. Sometimes they sit and stare out you without the slightest worry or fear.

We start our breakfast by lighting a fire. We cut some wood into small strips and then hang our mess tin on a hook in the middle of the trench. We light the fire under it and drop strips onto the fire now and then to keep it going. We keep it from smoking or Fritz will see it and then hone in on it. He throws bombs over if we are near enough, or shells it if he's further away. To make smoke isn't a good place to be at.

We keep the fire small and then do a brew on it, after we have made the brew we cook some bacon. We eat this with french bread that we have brought with us. it's a basic meal but in these trenches after the freezing night, the damp and the cold, it's a grand meal.

We then go about our business. Some draining the trenches, some on construction jobs, some on sentry duty, others fetching and carrying materials. Now and then the Hun opens up with machine gun fire and then shells us with 5.9 shells. They whistle over, then plunge to the ground and explode in a huge shower of earth. Weve named them whizz-bangs. When they whistle in we hit the bottom of the trench for all we are worth. Heads down, arms and hands round our heads waiting for the explosion not knowing if this is it, our time is up. Then the blast wave hits you making your clothes stick to your body. Then the ground shakes and judders and if the shell landed sufficiently near you get covered in great clods of earth and anything else it has destroyed. Your alive though and that's all that matters.

This is our daily grind.

Its not all one sided, we give the Hun as good as we get. Our sentries spot activity and pass the word on, our machine gunners open up and give them hell.

Each company has a machine gunner, our gunner is called Jackie Lynn, his real name is John but we all call him Jackie. He has been with the regiment some time now, he started as a drummer boy. In the months before I came to the front Jackie helped to repulse a Hun attack and he showed great courage and action in several battles. He was awarded the distinguished order medal in the Christmas honours for this. He's a good bloke and well liked by all of us.

We stayed in the trenches until the 13th and then returned to Le Bizet. The Hun has knocked the place about, he is shelling it every day now. We have constructed some trenches in the village to protect us from big shells. At present the Hun is not sending any over but for our safety the top brass has decided we should stay indoors. We aren't allowed to stay out in the open, we can only go from place to pace and get ourselves in doors as sharp as possible. The buildings offer good protection from the 5.9 inch shells that get thrown at us and they also protect us from the flying debris and shrapnel.

The medical corps has been very active whilst we were in billets. We have all been inoculated for enteric. This is also known as typhoid. Obviously living in the trenches is not the cleanest of places so we are being inoculated to be kept us safe and fit. Quite strange if you think about it. The army doesn't want us to go down with sickness but it's ok to get blown to bits!

Well our stint in billets ended on the evening of the 17th. On our return to the trenches we have found them to be flooded again and have had to abandon some of them and start constructing some more. Its a constant battle against the Hun and the weather. One kills your spirit and the other just kills you!

Anyway chums yours truly has been given a mission tonight. I'm going out into no mans land with a small party to form a  listening post and then do a patrol. It means going over the top and being a sitting duck for the Hun if he spots us. I can tell you my hearts thumping like the clappers and mouth is as dry as a furnace. I'm dreading it but we all have to do it at some point and tonight its my turn, my first time!

So chums if I don't speak to you again I wish you all the best and think on when you are tucked up in bed, tonight the 19th of January, Albert Kyte is in no mans land doing his bit for King and Country, keeping you safe and sound.

Cheerio,

Albert x