This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Up at 9 and told at breakfast that dinner would be at 11.30. Marched off full marching order about midday. Crossed Belgian frontier and reached a village about 2 o’clock. Duggins, Cpl. Stanton and I bivouacked together. (Found out later the village was Westoutre). In the village at night we found the small shops sold a great variety of articles and that the people spoke fair English. Bought some silk¹ at a farm. Weather still fine and warm. Gas alarm at night.

1. “Silk”: shorthand reads “milk” ↩