run into a nasty cross fire of machine gun on the duck walk as we leave Souchez. not to bad. Fritz is a bit too high to do much harm. Mitchell replaces Walton on our squad Fritz kicked up quite a fuss all night but we don’t get a case when he gets a fella here he usually gets him plumb. a regiment S.B borrows a stretcher for a fellow hit outside but the fellow dies. Thursday Feb 1. Cannot put our noses outside all day. have quite a bit of fun with Agatha & Roy’s letters. H.C pie for supper on our return to A.D.S. one month of this year gone, How many more to go? I want to go home to St B. Friday Feb 2. No fatigue in the morning, we get out two loads of wood near the church in the afternoon & at 3.30 Killjoy & I guard it until 5. go home & get supper & then return to the church & load up two G.S. waggons with the wood for the M.D.S. & A.D.S. Scout round whilst doing guard over our wood & Fritz is shelling
▸ Where was he?
▸ The war at this time
Germany's gamble
On February 1, 1917, Germany begins unrestricted submarine warfare. All ships (neutral or belligerent) are now targets in the waters around Britain. Germany calculates that Britain can be starved into surrender before America can mobilise. It is a fateful miscalculation. On the Western Front, the winter continues. The Canadian Corps holds its sector of the Vimy front, enduring cold, shellfire, and the constant tension of trench warfare. The assault on the ridge is now two months away. Preparations continue despite the weather.
