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Status: Indexed

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

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