The Ahier Diary: From the sky

Clarence Percy Ahier Excerpt from the diary of Clarence Ahier

Clarence remembers a time when he was under attack from the air

Over our heads, another bomb crashed about 50 yds nearer, then we heard him seemingly right above our little canvas shelter.

Then the sinister whistling of another bomb coming down; I thought our time had come, but it crashed right on a tent nearest to our place.

In all, he dropped five aerial torpedoes along our line of about 200yds, and caused havoc without a doubt.

The air was full of cries and groans, and we almost dreaded going out to see exactly what had happened.

When we did get out we saw a pitiful sight; chaps crawling about with blood streaming from wounds, a couple running about screaming like madmen, (victims of shell shock) but the worst sight of all was what remained of the occupants of the tent next to us.

Where the tent was there remained just a huge hole.

In going to examine the place, we found what was nothing less than a shambles; pieces of torn blood-sodden blankets, wound around pieces of limb, and, well, I simply can't describe the sight.

I unrolled the head of one chap from a piece of blanket, but there was no body attaches; shortly afterwards, our attention was drawn to a form lying about 100yds away; on going to investigate, we found the remainder of poor young Tommy.

A fine, fair, curly headed boy, and a great favourite in the battery.

We suffered heavy casualties that morning, and that affair cast rather a slur on the anti-aircraft sections which were dotted about, as Jerry was only 50ft up, and could easily have been brought down.