August 16, 1918
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At 8 a.m. we marched off for Hamel where we took over the M.D.S.from the 53rd Field Ambulance, 17th Division. They had only been in the line 4 days but had been so severely gassed that they had to be withdrawn, report states that he hit one of his own gas dumps which we had captured. The march was hot and tiring 9 miles in all, but very interesting as we passed over many of the huns’ defences.
Trains are already right forward, and we are using his light railway system and the valley road, which we used has already been improved. Marceleave through which we passed was sadly knocked about, in fact, everywhere we could see evidences of the great work of our artillery. We passed along a sunken road in which we made a large number of prisoners, a strong position turned into a trap by our rapid advance. Hamel resembled the old village of the Somme offensive, hardly one brick on top of another, speaking volumes for our artillery again.
After dinner we took over. The other crowd marched out. All hands being tired I did not trouble about getting any men so with the help of the other two dispensers set to dig out a tent possy, erected a bell tent and fixed up a dispensary store. Had things fairly square by dark when I turned in dead tired and slept until 7 next morning. No bombs were dropped near by, and very probably we will be left alone here as our camp is out in the open away from the village. Have sent a few souvenirs away and have a German officer’s pack, which I would like to get away.
An interesting feature of some of Fritz’s maps, which we have captured, is to see our dressing stations marked thereon with a cross and the letters LAZ. He is certainly giving us a fair spin when possible in this particular.