26 April 1917; Thursday

Up shortly after 7 o’clock. Paraded at 9. Cleaning waggons until 12 o’clock. Sergeant-major ordered me over Baileul after dinner1. Gave me five minutes’ notice. Rode down in car with Bromley. A splendid place. Washed and cleaned up in the afternoon and then went to the concert. A very good concert. Good orchestra. First half turns and second half “dramatic fragments.” Looked up news at night, which spoke of heavy fighting. Went to bed late.

Will have to play my cards very carefully. Finished reading Villette2.


  1. “Baileul”: 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 (B), is 10km SSW of La Clyttte/Klijte (A). As usual “after dinner” means “after lunch”; the move to Bailleul would have been in the afternoon, not the evening. 

  2. Villette: Novel by Charlotte Brontë first mentioned by ALL on 9th April. See also Villette and Arthur Linfoot’s Library