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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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” ↩
Up at 9 o’clock. Had breakfast and received orders to have dinner at 11.30 and fall in <in> full marching order at 12 o’clock. Marched off shortly after 12 o’clock. Crossed Belgian Frontier and arrived at the village of [space – probably intended to be filled in later when name known] 1 about 2 o’clock. Duggins, Corporal Stanton and I made a bivouac together. Very nice place. Don’t know what the future holds. Walked into village at night. Found out we could buy all sorts of things including newspapers and that most of the people talk marvellous† English. Bought some milk at a farm. Weather hot all the time.
News of Battle at Suez2.
Heard Last Post blown and it sounded fine. Gas alarm at night.
According to ALL’s own 1976 transcription, the village was Westoutre, now Westouter. ↩
“Battle at Suez”: Probably the Battle of Romani (3-5 August 1916), the last ground attack of the Central Powers on the Suez Canal at the beginning of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign during the First World War. ↩
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Reveille 4 a.m. Breakfast 4.30. Fell in at 6 and marched off to Longpre. Got there at 8. Had choice of 3rd class carriages or horse boxes and chose horse boxes. Left Longpre about ten and passed through Boulogne and St. Omer. A mule got loose, fell off its truck in a tunnel and was killed. Arrived Bailleul about 9 p.m. Unloaded waggons and mules off trucks in the dark and a mule fell into a ditch. Took half an hour to get it out. Marched off about ten and had one rest. Stayed at a farm barn for the night. Midnight when we got down. Very tired and slept well, on straw.
Reveille at 4 o’clock. Breakfast 4.30. Fell in at 6 and marched off. Arrived at Longpré about 8 o’clock. Train left about 10. We had choice of 3rd class carriage or cattle truck and chose truck. Passed through Boulogne and St Omer. One of our mules jumped out of the carriage at Boulogne and was run over in tunnel. Arrived at Baileul1 about 9 o’clock. Took waggons off the rail trucks in the dark. One of the horses got in a ditch and was in about half an hour. Marched off about 10 o’clock. Had one rest. Terribly tired and sleepy. Arrived at a farm and put up there for the night. About midnight when we got there. Slept on straw in a barn and slept well.
Baileul: ALL always omits one ‘l’ from ‘Bailleul’ in his longhand; the transcription follows this, but where he writes it in shorthand, ie phonetically, it is transcribed with the correct spelling. Bailleul is 16km SW of Ypres. The map shows the entire journey from Longpré (A), through Boulogne (B) and Saint-Omer (C) to Bailleul (D). ↩