This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Up at 6. On fatigue all day. Helped to dig hole at C section hospital. Parcel from home. Went to bed early.
Monthly Archives: August 2016
12 August 1916; Saturday
Up at 6 o’clock. Fatigue all day as usual. Helped to dig a hole at C section hospital in the afternoon. Not very well. Terribly constipated. Took a number 9. Went to bed early. Received a parcel from home, and also a letter. Received new gas helmets and also our pay.
11 August 1916; Friday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Up at six. On parade all day. Worked on the ? Went into town at night and saw some Belgian girls making lace. Very expert. We bought some. News of Italians ? .
11 August 1916; Friday
Up at 6 o’clock. On parade all day. Worked on the incinerator all day. Got it easy in the afternoon. Walked into town at night and watched some girls making lace. Very interesting. Stanton had two parcels, so I bought some bread, and we asked Leaky and Duggins to join us and had a nice supper. Cocoa, salmon, fresh butter and bread.
Received news of the Italian successes.
10 August 1916; Thursday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Up at 6 and drew rations. Some trouble between Leaky and Stanton. Got cleaned up and wrote up diary. News of big successes.
10 August 1916; Thursday
Up at 6 o’clock and went to draw rations with Stanton and Leaky. Some trouble and delay with the breakfast. Cleaned up and wrote up diary. Further news of big Allied successes. Orderly man today and did very little. Went out at night. Met some village girls by a farm near the C section hospital and talked to them a short time with Sergeant Jenkins and Duggins.
9 August 1916; Wednesday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Up at seven. On fatigue in the morning. Cleaning waggons in the afternoon. At hospital across the village which is to be run by “C” (my) section. Duggins also orderly. Very busy. Called in the village and bought bread. No bread issue today. Orders to be orderly man tomorrow.
9 August 1916; Wednesday
Up at 7 o’clock. On fatigue in the morning cleaning waggons and in the afternoon at a hospital across the village which is to be run by C section. Duggins ordered across as orderly. Worked a bit after tea, until about 6.30. A band played in the village beside the church. Among some reinforcements just arrived is one of the Newcastle Alnwick boys. Had walk in the village. Bought some loaves for supper and had good supper. No bread issue today. Received orders to be orderly man tomorrow.
8 August 1916; Tuesday
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.
“Silk”: shorthand reads “milk” ↩