1st November 1917 Thursday

Another narrow escape for Douglas

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“Next day whilst touring the outposts I was spotted, and chased by ‘pip-squeaks’. I came down Leith Walk (communication trench) in great style! I watched our 4.5 guns shelling the enemy trench in the morning. It was fine to see huge chunks of timber, etc, go up in the air.”

A “Pip-squeak” was a British nickname for a German rifle grenade. It was a small but deadly grenade designed to be fired from a rifle. It was attached to a rod for firing which was inserted into the gun barrel. A dish shaped washer was slid along the rod between the barrel and the grenade and depending on which way round the dish was would determine whether it went a greater or lesser distance. It was then fired with a blank round as a projectile. Although considerably smaller it was thought to have the same destructive power as an 18 pound shell with equally fatal consequences.

For Leith Walk see the trench map.

Desalanque Farm in bottom left corner. Leith Walk communication trench top right. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland. https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Find out about our connection with Dr Page and an introduction to his diary here