Up at 7 o’clock. Received orders to stand by again. Received parcel from home, letter from Charlie, letter from Green and the British Weekly. Wrote home. Walked round village at night. Some rain. Watched the rats playing about the barn roof.
Yearly Archives: 2016
17 July 1916; Monday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Dull damp morning. Rumour that four men of the 104th ambulance that relieved us at the chateau were killed by one shell. No longer standing by. Walked to Ribemont with Walsh and Lee after tea and had eggs and chips. Rained and got wet. Turned in about nine, but kept awake by noisy argument between Forrest and his pals on football until about eleven. Watched rats playing about in the roof of barn all day.
17 July 1916; Monday
Up at 7 o’clock. Dull and damp in the morning. Received rumour that 4 of the 104th Field Ambulance men were killed in the château we left1. Killed by a shell bursting in their billet. Received orders that we were not to stand by after dinner. Went to Ribemont at night with Walsh and Lee and had eggs. Got wet in going. Went to bed at about 9 o’clock. Big dispute with Forrest and others about football until about 11 o’clock. Watched the rats playing about in the rafters all day.
16 July 1916; Sunday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Reveille at seven. Still standing by and no church parade. Rumours of Germans retiring all along the Line. Wrote to Willie Whittaker. Fine morning. Church parade in a field in the afternoon. Rained and no sermon. Went to bed early; lay awake with toothache; slept well later.
16 July 1916; Sunday
Up at 7 o’clock. Still standing by and no church service. Rumours of Germans’ retreat up the line. Wrote to Willie Whittaker. Fine morning. Service in the field in the afternoon but it rained and so we stopped before the sermon. Rained a bit at night. Wrote letter home in reply to one received and also to Willie Whittaker and Franchie Inwood. Went to bed early at night. Lay awake with toothache, but generally slept well.
1 killed and 9 wounded of the 57 Ambulance at La Boisselle.
15 July 1916; Saturday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
On guard from 6 to 8 a.m. Had breakfast and wrote letters. On guard again 10 to 2 p.m. Just commencing dinner when ordered to return to billet and pack our kits ready to move. Paraded twenty minutes later at transport lines. Waited there all afternoon and then were sent back to billets to wait. Beautiful summer evening. Wrote letter to Ernie. Turned in about ten.
15 July 1916; Saturday
Called up at 6 o’clock. Had breakfast shortly before 8 and was relieved then. Wrote letter to Joe and one to Charlie. Went on at 12 o’clock. Was relieved shortly before 2 o’clock. Just beginning dinner when we received orders to go to our billet and pack our kit. Packed kit in 20 minutes and paraded by the A.S.C. park. Had tea and waited. Received orders to go back to the billet and wait there. Beautiful afternoon. Wrote to Ernie. Turned in at the usual time.
14 July 1916; Friday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
No bread and wretched dinner of boiled bully beef. Physical drill at 11 o’clock. Got hair cut. Rain in the morning, fine afternoon. Issued with new cap to replace cap lost up the Line – two sizes too small. On guard from 6 until 10 p.m. Found some blankets and slept on a bed in hospital barn. Very comfortable.
14 July 1916; Friday
Up at 7. No bread and rotten dinner, boiled bully. Got hair cut. Physical drill at 11 o’clock. Wrote to Gertie. Received two copies of the Daily News from home. Rain in the morning but fine in the afternoon. Got new cap two sizes too small. Paraded at 6 o’clock with the guard. Went on from 6 until 10 o’clock. Got two blankets and slept with Lee on a fairly comfortable bed in the hospital barn.
13 July 1916; Thursday
This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Slept badly. Hunted in shirt and pants. Found six big lice. Usual morning parade. Physical drill and waggon cleaning. No afternoon parade: lay down. After tea walked to Ribemont with Duggins and Leaky. Had eggs and chips and bought chocolate. Several thousands of cavalry passed through our village during the evening. Everybody excited and talking of break through and cavalry charge in the morning. Horses two abreast and occasional horse carrying machine gun only. Took ages to pass.