On The Move - Again

Well chums were on the move again. I haven't wrote recently because for the last 4 days we have been on moving around. We've now reached our final destination and know what were up to. It's a hot one again!

The last time I wrote we were in the 2nd line trenches at La Belle Alliance. This is one mile to the north of Ypres and is alongside a farm of that name. I have a map showing its location in relation to the Ypres canal.

La Belle Alliance

I'm not sure why its called that. The name is actually that of an inn just south of Brussels near to where the battle of Waterloo took place. It's where Wellington and the allied commanders met after the battle in which Napoleon was defeated. Someone in these parts must have known their history and decided to name this farm the same.

Well we rested here until the 28th until we relieved the Essex Regiment in the front line. We had two chaps wounded during this changeover. In the front lines we were shelled, sniped on and mortared. We had four men killed and nine wounded during this stint. We also went on patrol over the top making repairs and trying to catch any Hun that was also out there.

Our stint ended on the 1st of July but not before some heavy shelling. The reserve and support trenches took the brunt of it but we had some land in the front trenches. The parapets were blown away and we had three men injured. We had to make good the damage to the trench.

We were relieved by the Essex Regiment and then marched to a rest camp that is 2 miles N.E. of Poperinghe. We stayed there on the 2nd to the 4th in bivouacs. We had 50 men join us whilst there and we underwent a reorganisation. During the last two months we have more or less had the whole battalion lost to death and injury and then replaced with new men. The brass decided to reorganise to make us fighting fit. We then went on parade and had an inspection.

Then on the 5th we marched off again. This time we marched to Elverdinghe. It's only a couple of miles from Poperinghe but we were nevertheless moved there. We bivouaced in the woods. Like most places around here it has a Chateau, so chums I'm posting the postcards of it for you.

Elverdinghe Château

It has quite a beautiful lake at the front of the propert too.

Elverdinghe Château

It's quite an idyllic place. In all this devastation that is going on its a little piece of heaven. I can't help thinking this is going to be the calm before the storm.

Today I've learnt what our next move is going to be. We are going to be giving assistance to an attack on the Hun lines by the 11th Brigade. We've been told that today the Rifle Brigade and the Somersetshire Light Infantry have attacked the Hun trench line to the south of Pilkem along the canal bank. We are going to give all assistance necessary and are to move up tonight. It almost certainly means we will be going over the top, the full battalion.

So chums my bags are packed and I'm ready for the off. I'm not sure what this jaunt will bring me but this will be the second time I've now been ordered to advance on the Hun lines. The other time was in May when we tried to give assistance when the Hun launched a gas attack on the 24th. We didn't get ten yards under the withering fire!

So chums I wish you goodbye and I hope to write to you after this frightful event, that's if I'm still here! I've been in the middle of this mayhem so long now it's almost normal to be in a battle. I've got my fears and worries but its not like when I first arrived. So chums hopefully goodbye for now.

Albert x