Beautiful weather now, but very little doing on the line. A few Taubes over early this morning.

Had a ‘scrounge’ around disused dug-outs for chairs etc. Found a good chair-stool-table-hammer and sword*. About 5 Taubes over in afternoon.

*The researcher for Michael Portillo’s programme asked me if we still had the sword. Unfortunately I had to tell her that it didn’t find its way home – and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Leonard hadn’t sold it to someone more or less immediately.

One tractor up to-day. Capt. with our pay. I drew 20 Francs. More Taubes about to-day.

Went for a walk to Clery and had good look around the ruins. It is badly battered about, all the houses shelled to the ground.

The following additional information is from Martin Farebrother:

Cléry is north of the Somme confirming the previous comments about location, but also showing that the (B) line north of the Somme was still open.

A few Taubes over during night, but did no damage here.

Very quiet. Had a good run to B207 for rations on our bogie.

A Grenadier Guardsman told me that the Germans had asked for an Armistice to enable them to evacuate French and Belgian territory but our people had refused.

Heard that a big supper was held last night at Froissy when Sir Eric Geddes, Dir. of Railway, said that it was No.1 Light Railway Operating Company which had made the light railways a complete success. No other light railway company had done so well as ours. I also heard that No. 19 L.R.O.C is now in France.

The following additional information is from Martin Farebrother:

Sir Eric Geddes, former manager of the North-Western Railway, was appointed Director-General of Transportation in France in late 1916, after he had reported and recommended a complete system of L.R.s to support the front. One effect of this was the formation of the L.R. Companies from early 1917.

One train up to-day with R.E. stores. Nothing else doing. Heard the cuckoo this morning.

Heard that our engine No.724 had toppled over into the canal near Colonheiux. Driver and fireman managed to escape. Engine dropped 20 feet.

The following additional information is from Martin Farebrother:

Cannot identify Colonheiux, but almost certainly along by the Somme canal. Locomotive 724 was a 4-6-0 Baldwin steam tank locomotive. We do not have any other information about this locomotive.