Up about 7.30. Had a bath in the morning. On fatigue in the afternoon. Wrote letter home at night. Fritz1 over bombing.
Billy Truman went on leave. Got down to bed early.
Monthly Archives: February 2018
17 February 1918; Sunday
16 February 1918; Saturday
Lay in bed all day. Had walk out at night. Arm rather sore and a bit of a headache.
15 February 1918; Friday
Up about 7.30. On parade and on fatigue all the morning. Warned for inoculation in the afternoon. Walked round village at dinner time.
Inoculated in the afternoon. Wright did it and stuck the needle right in.
14 February 1918; Thursday
Up about 6.30. Packed up stuff and helped to pack waggons and moved off from Metz about 9.15. After being lost, Got to number 13 rail station and went by light rail to Roquigny1. Arrived there about 12 o’clock. A most desolate hole. A German line of trenches near and innumerable shell holes all about beside the ruined village and blasted woods. Went to bed early. Very poor billet and wholly packed. On fatigue in the afternoon until pretty late. Out on fire picket.
13 February 1918; Wednesday
Up about 8 o’clock. Packed up things and got all ready for relieving party. 63rd Division ambulance arrived at about 3 o’clock. We had tea and got away about 5 o’clock. After a little trouble slept in the dispensary and slept well. Left Trescault for Metz1.
ALL returned from Trescault (A) to Metz-an-Couture (B), where he had been until mid-January. ↩
12 February 1918; Tuesday
Up about 8 o’clock. Not much to do all day. Only five men for the train at night.
About midnight a rush of gas cases (35 now) came through and we were up about 2 hours.
11 February 1918; Monday
Up about 7.30. Not much to do all day. Sent “Artemis” down to save bed. Glorious day. Not many patients in.
10 February 1918; Sunday
Up about 7.45. Not much to do all day. Went to headquarters in the morning and again to a service at night with Harvey. Had interesting conversation coming back.
Received letter from Charlie dated 18/1/18.
9 February 1918; Saturday
Up about 8 o’clock. Down to headquarters. Long argument at night with Sergeant Cooper and the rest on the subject of red lamps1.
Received letter from Ernie to say that he will probably be going on leave about this time.
“Red lamps”, if a correct transcription, almost certainly refers to the widespread use of licensed brothels by troops in France during WW1. According to this piece on WW1 brothels at the BBC, brothels displayed blue lamps if they were for officers and red lamps for other ranks.
Given ALL’s strong religious principles and his well documented position on a related moral issue, alcohol, there can be little doubt that ALL was against while Sergeant Cooper and the rest were for red lamps, hence the argument noted here, although the exact nature of the argument can only be guessed at. ↩