38th_War_Diary_Complete

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs. Part II. and the Staff Manual respectively. Title Pages will be prepared in manuscript.

WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY (Erase heading not required.)

Army Form C. 2118.

Page II

38th Canadians

Original Confidential War Diary for the month of March 1917

Place -- Date -- Hour -- Summary of Events and Information Remarks and references to Appendices

Compigny 1917 Mar 11. Batt. marched out from Compigny to Support Lines. A and D. Companies in Music Hall Line, S.20.A. Batt. H.Q. Signallers and B and C. Bompanies in dugouts at Berthon-Val. Wood at x.20.B. The 12th Brigade relieved the 11th Bde. on the front from La Salle Ave to Ersaty C.T. The 38th to be four days in support and four days in Front Line. Mild weather. RBO'S

La Salle & Ersaty C.T. 12 Batt. & Transport Lines as on 11th. Germans shelled Compigny Hersin morning & afternoon. Weather mild. RBO'S

do 13 Batt. same as 11th. P.M's books audited & found correct. RBO'S

do 14 Batt. same as on 11th. RBO'S

Front Line Trenches 15 Batt. moved to Front Line trenches. Transport paid. La Salle Ave - Ersaty C.T. RBO'S

do 16 Batt. in Front Line Trenches. La Salle Ave. Ersaty C.T. 70 O.R. from 4th Entrenching Batt. accepted & paraded. RBO'S

do 17 Batt in Front Line Trenches. La Salle Ave. Ersaty C.T. Aeroplanes very active. Capt. Hill returned from School. RBO'S

do 18 Batt. in Front Line Trenches. La Salle Ave. Ersaty C.T. Wet. RBO'S

do 19. Batt. moved out from Trenches to Chateau de la Haie arriving in afternoon. Shelled on way out. RBO'S

2449 Wt W14957/M90 750,000 1/16 J.B.C. & A. Forms/C.2118/12.

. Pte Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs. Part II. and the Staff Manual respectively. Title Pages will be prepared in manuscript.

WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY (Erase heading not required.)

Army Form C. 2118.

Page 3

38th Canadians

Original Confidential War Diary for month of March 1917

Place -- Date -- Hour -- Summary of Events and Information Remarks and references to Appendices

Chateau de la Haie 1917 Mar. 20 Battalion at Chateau de la Haie. Paid by P.M. RBO'S

do 21 Reinforcement of 3 officers arrived. Snow storm. RBO'S

do 22 Aeroplanes active in forenoon. Heavy snow in afternoon. RBO'S

do 23 Aeroplanes active. The following decorations were presented by General Watson. Awarded the Military Medal. 410512. Sgt O.N. Hyslop. 144990. Pte R. Labelle. 410154. L/Cpt. ?O McRae. 410376. Pte W. Patterson. 410174. Pte W. Mollison. Awarded the Mililtary Cross. Lieut. D.V. Ketcheson. Lieut. W.A. Duncan. 410001 - R.S.M. Marsden W.C. Awarded the D.C.M. 410358. Pte. La Londe, Alex. RBO'S

do 24 Fine weather. Aeroplanes very active. German flew over Chateau de la Haie at very low altitude. Major Parkinson went to 12th Field Ambulance at Grand Servins. RBO'S

do 25 Batt. moved out of billets at Chateau de la Haie.

2449 Wt W14957/M90 750,000 1/16 J.B.C. & A. Forms/C.2118/12.

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs. Part II. and the Staff Manual respectively. Title Pages will be prepared in manuscript.

WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY (Erase heading not required.)

Army Form C. 2118

Page 4

38th Canadians

Original Confidential

War Diar for the month of March 1917

Place -- Date -- Hour -- Summary of Events and Information Remarks and references to Appendices

Chateau de la Haie 1917 Mar 25 in forenoon to take their position in the Front Line Trenches from Vincent to Ersaty C.T. under the command of the Lt Colonel Edwards D.S.O., Captain Hill acting as adjutant. Fine weather. RBO'S

Trenches 26 Batt. in trenches Vincent to Ersaty C.T. Wet weather. RBO'S Four patrols were sent out during the night 25-26. One encountered an enemy post at approximately S.15. c.8.5. & were fired upon by Machine Gun. The proceded southward to near the Front Line, where they hear large carrying party apparently moving articles which sounded like trench mats, but it was too dark to see. They later returned to endeavour to discover the Machine gun post. They could hear talking & saw a strong enemy patrol of seven men leaving the enemy trenches and proceed northward returning shortly afterwards to his front line at the same spot. The patrols on the left front did not encounter or see any of the enemy but were fired on by two machine guns from his front line, on eapproximately at S.15. a.09.15. & the other from about S.15.c.05.70. There also appeared to be saps running forward from the above

2449 Wt W14957/M90 750,000 1/16 J.B.C. & A. Forms/C.2118/12.

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs. Part II. and the Staff Manual respectively. Title Pages will be prepared in manuscript.

WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY (Erase heading not required.)

Army Form C. 2118.

Page 5

38th Canadians

Original Confidential War Diary for month of March 1917

Place -- Date -- Hour -- Summary of Events and Information Remarks and references to Appendices

Trenches 1917 Mar 26 locations. The night was quiet with the exception of our intermittent firing and was very dark. RBO'S

do. 26 cont. Batt. in Front Line Trenches. Vincent to Ersaty C.T. There was considerable activity on the part of our artillery, 18 pounders and heavies being very active. The heavy Trench Mortars and Stokes Mortars were also in action. Our machine guns were employed intermittently and Pte. Peters and Pte Nunney, Lewis Gunners of D. Co. cuased visible loss to a party of 10 Huns. The enemy artillery was very active with shrapnel & H.E. paying particular attention to Cabaret Trench in Zouave Valley, our Support Lines, & the point of junction of Snergate? and Vincent Trenches, three direct hits being registered at the last named point. Several of the enemy aircraft penetrated our line as far back as Zouave Valley.

At 5.30 am the enemy blew a Camouflet opposite the neighbourhood of our Front Line at Oakley C.T. One of our dug-outs was badly affected, being filled with gas and flame. Seventeen members of no 13 Platoon were gassed. Six were unable to get out and died, the balance though badly burned and seriously gassed, were

2449 Wt W14957/M90 750,000 1/16 J.B.C. & A. Forms/C.2118/12.

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs. Part II. and the Staff Manual respectively. Title Pages will be prepared in manuscript.

WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY (Erase heading not required.)

Army Form C. 2118.

Page 6

38th Canadians

Original Confidential

War Diary for Month of March 1917

Place -- Date -- Hour -- Summary of Events and Information Remarks and references to Appendices

Trenches 1917 March 26 cont able to reach the trench, one of these subsequently dying. At the same time, however, one jet of flame was noticed in "No Man's Land" towards the enemy line, and three larger flames were seen behind the enemy's line. RBO'S

do 27th Batt. in trenches Vincent to Ersaty C. T. Capt. Mcgloughlin went to England on leave.

Our artillery, both Heavy and 18 pounders have been particularly active during the past twenty four hours and there was considerable retaliation. A test barrage, principally of 18 pounders was put over towards Bairn and Raffle trenches. During the day our firing was practically continuous, though not particularly heavy. Our Trench Mortars and Brigade Machine guns were also active. Among our Snipers, no 144061. Pte. L. Beaulieu and no 4110008. Pte. R. Bailey, claimed successful shots. Owing to the low visibility, our aircraft found it practically impossible to do any work, only one of our machines being seen throughout the day. At 7 pm our Tunnellers last evening fired a Camouflat? near Montreal Crater. Gas was seen to rise to

2449 Wt W14957/M90 750,000 1/16 J.B.C. & A. Forms/C.2118/12.