Not well in the morning. Up at 7 and on parade as usual. Got easy fatigue for a good job. Lay in bed after duty and didn’t have any tea. Had some soup. Wrote letters. Felt pretty bad in the lecture.
Yearly Archives: 2016
6 February 1916; Sunday
No church parade on account of wind. Went down to Clayport as usual. Walked up the road in the afternoon with Black and had a bath afterwards. At church in evening with Sharpley. Went into his hut afterwards and sat and talked until tattoo.
5 February 1916; Saturday
On parade in the morning as usual. Watched our camp play the Northumberland [?Fusiliers] and lose by 3 to 1. Had tea in town with Black and walked round a bit.
Changed straw in our palliasses1 and received pay.
Straw mattress; sometimes spelt as Fr. Paillasse, but Army pronunciation always ‘pally-ass’. ↩
4 February 1916; Friday
On parade as usual. Lecture in the afternoon. Stayed in at night and read. Went down to Y.M. last thing with Black.
3 February 1916; Thursday
On parade as usual. Lecture in the afternoon. On fatigue with Copeland. Walked to town at night with Black and then returned to camp.
2 February 1916; Wednesday
On parade as usual. Working for Copeland all day. Walked out with Black at night.
1 February 1916; Tuesday
On parade as usual. Up twice during the night at the latrines. Felt off first thing. Working with Copeland all day. No lecture. Walked into town at night with Black. Spoke to his girl and walked to the station with them. Wrote up diary.
31 January 1916; Monday
On parade as usual. No lecture. On fatigue all day. Went to pictures at night. Stayed beside Black and his girl and her friend. In Y.M. last thing and Mrs Proctor told me off about not going to Mrs Ide’s to supper last night. She explained how Metgrave had asked me.
Big Zeppelin Raid1.
Nine Zeppelins took part in the raid of 31 January -1 February 1916, seemingly targeting several cities in the Midlands. A lengthy description of the raid may be found here. ↩
30 January 1916; Sunday
At church as usual. Set Misses Mack a few yards in the morning. In the afternoon walked to the top of the bank with Black and met Sergeant Sharpley. At night went with Sergeant Sharpley to Clayport and afterwards set up the Misses Mack to the farm. Stayed and talked until late and didn’t get back to camp until after Last Post.
29 January 1916; Saturday
Got off duty at 10 o’clock. Went into town before dinner. Met Father and Mother at the station about 2 o’clock. Had dinner in town and then walked through the deer park. Came back by the lane bridge and the bottom of the camp. Back into the café for tea and then to the station. Fine day. Left by the 6.43 train.
Visit to Alnwick of father & mother.
Met Misses Mack at the station and set them up. They afterwards walked up the road with me until 10 o’clock because I had a late pass. Spent a pleasant day and night.