38th CEF War Diary

War Diary, April Battle reports sent in Appendix by Capt T. W. MacDowell

April 9/17 61 10.30am

O.C. 38th Battalion.

Have been along the line. The dug out we occupy is at the corner of CYRUS and BABY. It has three entrances well distant from each other and will hold easily 250 men at the very [cross xx] least. The tunnel leads down towards our line which I did not explore. It has a winch and cable for hoisting. There are only 15 men with me of whom two are stretcher bearers. The rifles are one mass of mud. I have two Lewis guns and only four pans. Both guns are out of action on account of the mud. We have a very few bombs as we had to bomb several dug outs.

The 78th I have no trace of but there are two German machine guns just in front of us. They are firing constantly. Snipers are also busy. We cannot locate them as yet. The 72nd are on the left and seem to be spread along fairly well. The ground is practicably impassable. His aeroplanes come over and saw a few on my men at the dug out entrance and now we are getting his heavies from our right on his left.

I have no Subalterns or N C O’s. and unless I get a few more men with serviceable rifles I hate to admit it, but we may be driven out. Three of my men are wounded as it is do I might as well tell you the facts of the case.

The runner has just come in with your message. We are in BABY trench slightly to the right of CYRUS. I was wrong in my other message as to my location as I had just arrived. I will try to get in touch with Major Howland “D” Coy. 38th but dont like to leave here as I mentioned above have not an Officer or N.C.O. There are a lot of wounded out in front of here and I can see by the rifles sticking up. The heavy battery from the right is working vety well at present.

(signed) T.W. MacDowell, Captain 38th Battalion