Diary of events on active service. page 4

Lance Corporal Percival Fox 1895 - 1976, of the 53rd Royal Warwick regiment, Birmingham Battalion, was my grandfather. Born, the son of an ironmonger, in Langley a part of Brimingham known as the "Black Country" Percy joined up with his younger brother Jess to fight in the great war, he was 20 years old at the time. This is his war Diary, illustrated with photographs he took while on active duty on the front, firing line. These photographs have never been published before. .

19th March 1916. Our artillery bombards German front line. Had a walk round trenches. Plenty dead. Trenches in no-mans land. A company gun fire on German working party, good bag. Grub is still rotten, averages 1/5th loaf per man. Casualties: 1 killed 9 wounded

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20th March 1916 bombardment of brown Redoubt. Had very near escape, shells bursting all round our sap.

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21st March 1916 12th Gloucesters relieve us. Marched to Billets 9 miles away, arriving very tired at Hadbay. Slept well

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22nd March 1916 Cleaning up, after 12 days is no easy task

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23rd March 1916 PAY DAY, good feed, chops and tomatoes

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24th March Cut for leave, mine 25th. N.C.O Jess 235 out of 240

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25th March 1916 Cleaning amo etc. Lecture by Mason

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26th March 1916 Jess's birthday, left for trenches. billeted at Assdo Corrals. For the night. All the windows smashed

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27th March 1916. Had to be under cover all day, not allowed outside ---- keeps sending our rations to Fritz. marched to trenches 1 km.

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28th march 1916 Fairly quiet, muddy, & cold. Reg Hall shot a hare sold it to De Hafford

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29th March 1916. Heavy bombardment of both lines all day and night on our left at Vimmy. Fritz shells our Dixie carriers at 9.30, pm no one hit

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31st March 1916 Relieved Norfolks in firing line our gun is holding a l----ing pret. Germans only 25 yards off. Spotted a working party party na pooh. Our whizz bang battery put out of action.

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1st April 1916 It is now 6 am + I'm on sentry duty, just made a brew of tea-Jess gets a Frenchies bone for souvenir, plenty of dead French men buried in parapets + trenches.

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2nd April 1916 Divisional bombardment of Fritz lines lasting 1 hour. Fritz retaliates we take cover in sap under no mans land

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Above Arras front line 1916

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4th March 1916 Went into support. Things are getting very hot now

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5th March 1916 I'm the Redoubt again. Getting plenty of sleep only keeping 1 gas guard on.

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6th April 1916. The weathers now topping and things are going nicely. Manage to get a wash each day in a mug full of water for 6 men. We have had several aeroplanes to contend with, but that is exciting sport. one came over today flying very low. The old M.G was turned on and he did not come over again so low. There are always a few grouse here and a meal of them is very nice

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7th April 1916 Gun shifted to a new position. Fritz has mined the last place. We get plenty of areal torps and Granades over and had a few casualties.

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8th & 9th April 1916 German working parties busy at night so we put the holes of death on them very quiet after

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10 th April 1916 Fritz has turned very nasty, now with his Ariel torps, Jess gets blown down dug-out by one

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11th April 1916 Relieved by Duke of Cornwalls. Germans blow one of our safos in 3 killed 14 wounded & gassed

12 th April 1916. Marched back to Hbarey very tired

13th April 1916 Pay day 25 francs, bon.

14th April 1916 Raining, cleaning up

15th April 1916 Very easy day cleaning ammo mornings. Football in the afternoon during rest.

16th April 1916. I am now very "chatty"(?)

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17th April 1916 caught 30 in one sea----h(?)

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18th April 1916. Cant get any sleep. Through them had 3 parcels. The general inspects us .Raining.

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19th April 1916. Marched to Arras 12 Km rained all the way, wet through. Billeted in barracks.

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20th April 1916 Moved to trenches ,very good dug outs. Fine fires in JI sector.

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Map of Arras front line

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21st April 1916 Got up at 8am cleaned gun etc. Went into St Nicholas for dinner. Weathers A1. Nothing doing.

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22nd April 1916 Raining. Went to oil works for a wash. Plenty of grub. Several parcels arrive for the section field --aion 2o'c in the morning.

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23rd March 1916 Went to the candle factory for a supply of coal for fire.

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MAIL

Paul Johnson 27th September 2014.