world war one

Diary of events on active service. page 5

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.

Lewis gun team. Codford-Salisbury plain 1915.

24 th April 1916. Nothing doing

25th April 1916. Relieved Norfolks in firing line. This sector the trenches run down a slope and end up at the marshes which are covered by M.G fire. A post runs out from thr firing line on the edge of the marshland Fritz runs one out the same

26 th April 1916. The river, or Canal is on the other side of the marsh and a detached post is held by 2 Lewis guns. It is quite isolated and relief are carried out each night coming up the towing path. The two M.G posts are withdrawn as it gets light into a hut some 20 yards from the front position and at day one can only get about by crawling on hands and knees. The KRR's cover the top end of the towing path with machine gun fire

27th April 1916. Pete Kelly and Hewey win the military medal for fetching wounded man in after staying with him 8 hours in shell hole f--der. Heavy rifle and Shrapnel Fritz , German bombarded firing line 1 killed 5 wounded

France Manin 1916. P Fox on right

28th April 1916. Chat hurt. Strafed my shirt

29th April 1916. Bombardment of our lines, no damage. We bring down 3 German aeroplanes, 1 near candle factory

30th April 1916. Very hot today, in shirt sleeves. Germans bombarded oil factory, not hit it as yet

1st May 1916. Bombardment very heavy on our left. Nothing doing on our front, relieve Norfolks in firing line.

2nd May 1916 . On the marshes post again, plenty of wild ducks to shoot at.

3rd May 1916. On the detached post. We bombard Fritz with French mortars, and "hedoys"(?). Very good shooting.

4th March 1916. In firing line again

5th May 1916. Relieved. Slept in vaults of Arras museum, went round Arras at night

7th May 1916 Very hot again . Had photo taken. Used V.P.C with good effect. Marched to Habarea at night.

7th & 8th May 1916 Had a lazy time after cleaning up. Sports in afternoon

9th May 1916 Left Kaye behind sick

10 th May 1916 Marched to St Nicholes. Slept at our dump

11th May 1916. Relieved Norfolks in front line. Quiet

12th May 1916. Hinton goes on leave. We gave Fritz a heavy bombardment. Lasting from 10:30 am to 7 pm. Hundreds of shells sent at him. He re--ised very well. We opened fire with M.G's on his working parties at night.

13th May 1916. Raining-very quiet.

14th May 1916 Whizz bang near our position, had to take cover

15 th May 1916. Fritz is shelling and sausaging us every day now.

16th May 1916. Moved into support in August avenue in the big dug out. The dug out is 30 ft under ground, and contains 5 rooms. 12 beds in our room. Plenty of shelling etc. going on.

Arras trenches, Lewis gun. P Fox on gun

18 th May 1916. 3 mines blown up on our left. Guns very busy. I German aeroplane brought down.

19th May 1916. Weather is now lovely, sitting outside all day and night. The Scots take a crater on our left. P Hyde killed with shrapnel. His 2 legs were broken +one arm, 1 hand cut off and his chest shattered, died 2 hours later

20th May 1916. Lively day to day. Both sides hammering away at it, we have to duck several times.

22nd May 1916. Had cold water bath in stream. In Ametry our guns smash a German Battery. Germans bombard our heavies with tear(Gas?) shells for 4 hours. We get a slight effect of them.

22nd May 1916. There has been a very heavy bombardment on our left at Ricklineount all this week and at Vimey ridge. 10:30 pm we gave Fritz a terrible bombardment, firing over 5000 shells in half an hour on one sector of trenches. He gets wind up and sends up flairs, and opens out rapid rifle fire, and also retaliates on our support, at the same time the 2nd Batt make a bombing attack at Ricklinout. At this Fritz starts shelling there ,and they are repulsed.

24 nd May 1916. Relived Bedfords in firing line. The snipers are very active again, but we are at it too. I fired 50 rounds at sniping to day.

25th May 1916. Quiet all day. Raining, trenches filthy now. Machine guns withdrawn from detached post

26th May 1916. Fritz shells us with his heavies and sends out a patrol to detached post. Austin shot by own men in mistake for Germans. Lieutenant Sayer goes out and finds a bag of German bombs, and a hat. Hinton returns from leave it is s---- ---- hard, he does look a state.

27th May 1916. Hinton under police escort for overstaying leave, he gets off though. Heavy bombardment by both sides with shells and trench mortars. Candle factory shelled.

Destruction of Candle factory

28th May 1916. The usual artil strafe going on at Vimey, Germans send gas over on our left. We stand to whip gas helmets on. Officers get wind up.

MAIL

Paul Johnson 27th September 2014.