Tuesday
1st May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m, breakfast 7.30 a.m. and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc.
till dinner time. Fritz plane over, chased away by 2 of our planes. More
dressings after dinner and various small duties till tea time 5 p.m. Very
slow and rotten place here. Had yarn after tea and in bed 9 p.m. Beautiful
day again.
Wednesday 2nd May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc. kept
me busy till dinner time 12.30. After dinner had more dressings and went
to Meaulte to see W. Hill, back at 8 p.m. Some of our horses and drivers
called up the line. Beautiful day, turned in 9 p.m.
Thursday 3rd May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m. and usual routine till dinner time. Big attack commenced
up the line this morning, no news yet. At 3.30 p.m. went with Capt. Powell
to do some inocculations near Albert, afterwards went on in car to Ribemont.
Beautiful day and enjoyed the outing. Arrived back at 9.30 p.m. and turned
in.
Friday 4th May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc. Fritz
plane over very high. Believe yesterdays attack very successful but good
number of casualties. 2nd Div. caught it hot, nothing definite. Our bearers
standing ready to go up line if needed. Very hot day. Wrote couple letters
and turned in 9 p.m.
Saturday 5th May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 a.m. and on duty 9 a.m., lot of slightly
wounded to be dressed today and was kept busy till tea time. Very fine
day again. One of my chaps took sick this morning with malaria, had to
put him in hospital. About 10 p.m. our bearers were called out and went
up the line. Heavy gun fire. Turned in 10.30 p.m.
Sunday 6th May, 1917
Routine as usual, pretty busy. Got word at 9 p.m. that my best pal here,
Sgt. Bryan Chisholm killed last night. Into bed 9.30 p.m. 6 wounded.
Monday 7th May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 a.m. and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc.
Major Welch went and brought Sgt. Chisholm's body down here. I set it
out and sewed it up in blanket. It was hard, my oldest and best pal in
our corps. At 3 p.m. we buried him in the cemetery at Becordel, then went
to see W. Hill who is making a cross for me to put up. Went to pictures
at Albert with Will and some of his friends. Back to camp and in bed 10
p.m.
Tuesday 8th May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 a.m. and on duty 9 a.m., dresssings etc.
kept me busy till dinner time, more dressings after dinner and at 4.30
p.m. I inocculated about 40 of our chaps for Para-Typhoid. After tea did
some writing. Our casualties so far known for sure are 4 killed and 11
wounded, one of killed R. Aynesly, out of my tent. Hear tonight 2 more
been hit, don't know if killed. Into bed 9 p.m.
Wednesday 9th May, 1917
Up 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 a.m. and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc. kept
me busy till dinner time. More dressings after dinner, also wrote a letter
and after tea went to Meaulte and saw W. Hill who is making me a cross
for Sgt. Chisholm's grave. Also met Alf Whiting. Back at 8.30, did some
writing and in bed 9.30 p.m. 2 casualties reported yesterday untrue.
Thursday 10th May,1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30, on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc. kept me
busy till dinner time. A beautiful day again. After dinner more dressings,
saw Allan Smart who had seen Fred in England and whose brother was killed
with us a few days ago. Were paid at 7 p.m. Rumours of a move very soon.
Did some writing and into bed 9.30 p.m.
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc. kept busy till dinner time 12.30 noon. Very hot day. More dressings after dinner, very busy, bearers coming in tomorrow. Heavy bombardment this evening. After tea wrote letter and turned into bed 9 p.m.
Saturday 12th May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 a.m. and on duty 9 a.m., dressings etc. Bearers arrived back 10 a.m. More dressings after dinner. Packed some panniers and loaded on wagon as moving tomorrow. Went to see W. Hill and back at camp and in bed 10 p.m.
Sunday 13th May, 1917
Routine as usual, loaded wagon, relieved by 7th F.A. at 12 noon and marched to Dernancourt. Had swim in creek and turned in 9 p.m. Very hot day.
Monday 14th May, 1917
Slept rotten last night, atmosphere so very close, heavy thunder storm about 3 a.m. and vivid lightning. Up 7 a.m., breakfast 7.30 and on parade 9 a.m., roll call and orders then dismissed. Wrote some letters. Parade and roll call 2 p.m. and dismissed, did some more writing and generally loafed time away. Turned in 9 p.m.
Tuesday 15th May, 1917
Reveille 7.30, breakfast 8 a.m., on parade, roll call and orders 9 a.m. At 3 a.m. shed adjoining ours collapsed, fortunately no-one sleeping in it. On parade again 10 a.m. and route march till 11.30. Parade again 2 p.m., route march till 3 p.m., then watched cricket match, Bearers v Transport, former won. Bad headache tonight, in bed 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 16th May, 1917
Reveille 7.30 a.m., breakfast 8 a.m., parade, roll call and orders 9 a.m., after which loaded G.S. Wagon. Rained today. Parade 2.30 p.m. and marched to Edge Hill and entrained. Started our journey 5 p.m. going via Amiens, Abbeyville and Calais. Travelled in brake vans, almost missed at Abbeyville trying to get hot tea. Fairly cold, lay down and tried to get some sleep.
Thursday 17th May, 1917
Travelling all night, rough trip, bumped all over place so not much sleep. Passed through Hazebrouck and detrained at Bailleul about 9 a.m. then marched 7 miles, full kit up, to Doulieu, billetted in farm building. Rather nice village, people sociable. Had feed eggs and chips and into bed 7.30 p.m.
Friday 18th May, 1917
Reveille 7 a.m., breakfast 8 a.m. and on parade 9 a.m., roll call and orders, then did sick parade. One of our chaps sent to hospital with anthrax. After dinner went with some pals to Estains, a small town 3 miles away, one of cleanest places I have been in. Had two good feeds of eggs and chips and landed home about 9 p.m. and turned in.
Saturday 19th May, 1917
Reveille 7.30 a.m., breakfast 8 a.m. and on parade 9 a.m., roll call and orders. On parade again 10 a.m., gas helmet drill, then had to give tent sub-division squad drill till 11.45. After dinner watch 15th and 13th Battn. play rugby, latter won 9-6 pts. Had game cards after tea and in bed 8.30 p.m., fine day.
Sunday 20th May, 1917
Up 7.30 a.m., marched about 3 miles to church parade at 9 a.m. Spent afternoon and evening writing and in bed 9 p.m.
Reveille 7.30. Breakfast 8 a.m., on parade 9 a.m., roll call and orders, some of us told to roll our puttees regimentally. At 10 a.m. did sick parade and one or two dressings. Beautiful day, guns going a bit. Spent afternoon and evening writing and into bed 9 p.m.
Tuesday 22nd May, 1917
Reveille 6.30 a.m., on parade 7 a.m., roll call and route march till 7.30 a.m., breakfast 8 a.m. On parade again 9 a.m., rained heavily so returned to billet and had lecture by Major Furber till 11.30 a.m. Parade again 2 p.m., roll call and dismissed. Our section (A) played C. section rugby, C won 3 points to nil. After tea we had a smoke social amongst ourselves and turned in 9 p.m., lights out 9.30.
Wednesday 23rd May, 1917
Reveille 6.30 and on parade 7 a.m., roll call and route march till 7.30. Parade again 9 a.m., roll call, orders and route march till 11.30 a.m. Dinner 12.30 and on parade again 1.30 p.m., roll call and dismissed. Payed at 2 p.m. Spent afternoon reading. Received letter from Harold saying he is in France. Spent evening yarning, been beautiful day and in bed 9 p.m., lights out 9.30 p.m.
Thursday 24th May, 1917
Reveille 6.30, on parade 7 a.m., route march till 7.30 and breakfast 8 a.m. Several N.C.O.'s up at orderly room at 9 a.m., had to act as escort to one, case remanded. Parade again 2 p.m., roll call and dismissed. Transport and tent div. played bearers Aust. football, T & T won easily. Been lovely day, sat in orchard reading after tea and turned in 9 p.m.
Friday 25th May, 1917
Reveille 6.30, on parade 7 a.m., roll call and physical drill till 7.30 a.m., escort again at 9 a.m. then went in car to Bailleul for Med. stores. Had dinner and back 1.30 p.m. Whole unit had photo taken, also Rugby team. Very hot day. After tea had yarn and turned in 8.30 p.m. B. section tent div. left us today.
Saturday 26th May, 1917
Reveille 6.30, on parade 7 a.m., physical drill till 7.30. On parade again 9 a.m. and went for route march till 11.30 a.m. then went in car to Ballieul to Mobile laboratory, back at 2 p.m. Had game of cards before tea and afterwards. Turned in 9 p.m. Made bed under tree in orchard.
Sunday 27th May, 1917
Reveille and physical drill, after breakfast sick parades etc. Beautiful day, Fritz plane over, did writing and in bed 9 p.m. in orchard.
Monday 28th May, 1917
Reveille 6.30, on parade 7 a.m., physical drill till 7.30 and breakfast 8 a.m. On parade again 9 a.m. and route march till 11.30 a.m., very hot day, dinner 12.30. Parade again 1.30 p.m., roll call and dismissed. Had game of bridge and turned in about 7 p.m. Sleeping in orchard still.
Tuesday 29th May, 1917
Was up 6 a.m., reveille 6.30. Parade 7 a.m., physical drill till 7.30 p.m. On parade 9 a.m., gas drill and route march till 11.30 a.m. On parade again 1.30, gas drill for half hour. At 2 p.m. played 12th Field Amb. soccer, won 3-1. After tea went to boxing tournament and spent enjoyable evening. All heads present. Turned in 9.30 p.m. Been very hot day again.
Wednesday 30th May, 1917
Up at 6 a.m., reveille 6.30 and on parade 7 a.m., physical drill till 7.30 and breakfast 8 a.m. On parade again 9 a.m. and route march and inspection of feet till 11.30 a.m. On parade 1.30 p.m., roll call and then loaded our G.S. Wagon ready to move tomorrow. Very fine day, but hot. Spent quiet evening and in bed in orchard 9 p.m.
Thursday 31st May, 1917
Reveille 6.30 and on parade 7 a.m., roll call and orders and breakfast 7.30 a.m. Packed our gear and on parade full kit up at 9 a.m., marched out 10 a.m. Passed through Steenwerk to Neuve-Eglise just over Belgian border, arrived about 12.30. Lay on grass and rested after dinner, our planes active. At 9.15 p.m. Fritz plane brought down one of our balloons. In bed 9.30 p.m.