A close call as the war ends
IT’S been a fascinating exercise to read the war diary of Gunner Benja- min Crump and bring extracts of it to the attention of Bugle readers.
Since the Black Country Bugle started publishing over 46 years ago memories, anecdotes and diary accounts from those who have served this country in time of war have featured prominantly, and still more material continues to come to the fore. Benjamin’s account covers every day he was at the front from August 1915 to his return home in February 1919. Even his rest days are included, describing the times when fatigues were the order of the day.
For these final extracts from the diary we begin on Monday May 27, 1918:
“Went on duty at 9am. Fired one round which had been left in gun. Done nothing all day. Fritz drops shells all round billets knocking barn down and causing awful dust. Luckily no one was hurt, although two or three were in the barn at the time myself included. Was firing on and off during the night, 2 at 11pm, 8 rounds at 1am and 8 at 3 and 4am. Got to bed at 5am.” Friday May 31: “On guard. Fritz verybusy with aeroplanes, dropping bombs and firing on roads with machine guns.” Tuesday June 4: “On gun at 9am, Fired all night at different hours. 50 rounds in all. Saturday June 8: “Cleaned up round gun and got kit ready to go on rest again. Pulled out and left at 9.30pm. Stopped outside Longpre le Amiens for the night. I travelled with guns.” Tuesday June 11: “Moved on again to Sorel where we were to have our rest.”
Benjamin and his colleagues were at Sorel for fifteen days. Then on Saturday June 29:
“Put gun in position at a place named Busseboom close to Poperinge”. And the following day: “Got things ready for action. Things comparatively quiet at present.” Friday July 5: “Day off. Fritz shells our other half battery, killing 5 men”. Sunday July 7: “On duty till 12 noon as other detachments have been forward all night digging men out who had been buried. Had afternoon off.” Monday July 8: “On duty at 9am. Some of our men went forward to bury men who had been killed 2 days previouisly.” Saturday July 20: “Worked on gun getting her ready for action. Started on camouflage in afternoon, but broke off as it rained. Finished at 9.30pm. Violent thunderstorm.” Thursday July 25: “Had bath, done washing.” Friday July 26: “Fired 3 rounds, then gun went out of action. Had to repack recouperator and pump her up again. Very showery day with violent thunderstorms.” Saturday July 27: “Off duty went walk into Poperinge to try and get cigarettes but could only get one packet of Capstan. Had good sleep in afternoon, got to bed at 10pm. Fetched out at 11 to fetch camouflage from 115 Battery rear position. Got to bed at 11.45pm.” Thursday August 8: “On gun at 9am. Built ramp round gun and made gateway to field. Had field spuds at night. Action at midnight, fired 25 rounds.” Friday August 9: “Fine day. Straightened up round gun and fired 49 rounds. At 4pm we broke off, packed our kit ready to go on 3 days rest. Left for rest billets at 11pm.” Wednesday August 14: “Action at 3am. Fired 15 rounds and broke off. Lovely morning. Action again at 12 noon. Fired 20 rounds on battery who were playing hell with us, then 2 more rounds on crossroads and 16 more on first target. After dinner we fired another 10. Worked on dugout till dusk.” Wednesday August 21: “Action at 2.30am. Boys went over the top, fired 12 rounds. Boys took objective. Fired 25 more at 3.30pm. Gun then went out of action. Relieved at night.” Wednesday August 28: “On rest.” Thursday August 29: “Went out and had good day’s enjoyment at Proven, came back in light car at 9pm. Met one of my old pals.” Sunday September 1: “Action at 7am. Fired 10 rounds then broke off. Only 3 guns in range as Jerry had gone back. Pull out.” Tuesday September 3: “Went up to new position close to Kemmel. Got gun in and fired 9 rounds for registration. Lovely day.”
Wednesday September 4:
“Action at 5.30am. Fired 26 rounds on one target and 20 rounds on another before breakfast. Then fired 42 at a slow rate of fire and broke off. Action again at 2.45, fired 64 rounds, then had another target for 22 rounds, this making 174 rounds all day.” Saturday September 7: “On fatigues. Built new cook house. Heavy thunderstorm at 3pm which lasted till 6pm.” Friday September 9: “Fine morning, went up to new position in afternoon after doing several fatigues. Started to pull in but Fritz shells us heavily so we had to get under cover for 2 hours.” Saturday September 28: “Our boys went over taking all objectives and even those which were planned for tomorrow. Took Passchendaele Ridge. Stunt was from La Bassee to coast reported 40,000 prisoners and still advancing.” Thursday October 3: “As our gun was out of action and we could not get into position for roads being blown to pieces, we went on road making to enable light guns to get up. Got back at 5pm.”
Benjamin was then on fatigues for one week. He and his colleagues must have been aware that the Germans were in retreat and the next entry in his diary was for Monday October 14:
“Went up at 5am. Got gun in but was out of range as stunt started at 6.30am before we had time to finish. Pulled out again, stunt going well. Saw hundreds of prisoners come down the road. Fritz shells all round, our boys took all objectives.” Friday October 18: “Saw hundreds of Belgian refugees come down in trucks who had been in Courtrai since the commencement of the war under German control. They were bound for Poperinge. They looked half starved and wild. Gave them fags and biscuits.” Friday October 25: “Went up to position at 8.30am. Loaded stores and beams ready to move further up. Left at 2.15 going through Menin into Courtrai. All the tops were off the houses where Fritz had deliberately destroyed them. Had to pull guns over pontoon bridges one piece at a time holding up all the traffic as Fritz had blown all the bridges up in his retreat. Got to our destination at Pottenburg at 6pm.”