Monthly Archives: August 2018

31 August 1918; Saturday

31 August 18August 1918Ernie, Gonnehem, Letters, WarArthur Linfoot

Up at 7 o’clock and on parade at 8 o’clock. Not much to do. Sick parade as usual. Received letter from home and pc¹ from Ernie to say he is getting on well.

Heard that we have captured Baileul² & Dranoutre³.

“pc”: Presumably post card. ↩
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. ↩
Dranoutre: NE. of Bailleul, near Kemmel and Locre – no doubt overrun in the March offensive (see 21 March); Michelin square I3. ↩

30 August 1918; Friday

30 August 18August 1918Franchie, Gonnehem, Inwood, LettersArthur Linfoot

Up about 6.30. Not much to do all day. Finished shortly after 6 o’clock. Had short walk by myself at night. Did some French and finished letter to Franchie Inwood.

British still progressing. Noyon, Nesle, Bapaume etcetera in our hands.

29 August 1918; Thursday

29 August 18August 1918Charlie, Ernie, Gonnehem, LettersArthur Linfoot

Up at about 7 o’clock and on parade. Received postcard from Ernie to say that he is in hospital with diarrhoea. Also a long letter from Charlie in reply to my long letters. Had walk at night with Harvey and long talk.

28 August 1918; Wednesday

28 August 18August 1918GonnehemArthur Linfoot

Up at 6.30. Parade at 8 o’clock and on duty in the dressing room. Very little to do. Did some French in the afternoon and evening†. Wet night. Had walk with Harvey at night.

27 August 1918; Tuesday

27 August 18August 1918Gonnehem, Le Vertannay, Letters, Map, Ranald MacDonaldArthur Linfoot

On duty at 9 o’clock. Not much to do. Lay down for an hour about 4.30. Relieved at 9 o’clock. Had a short lie in bed and then relieved from headquarters. Walked down to headquarters at Gonnehem¹ and arrived in time for dinner. Billet in a hut with proper beds and bedclothes. Slept most of afternoon. Had walk after tea with Harvey and Billy Truman and slept with Billy in a real bed. Slept well. Heard from Ranald MacDonald that his brother Kenneth is missing.

Gonnehem (B): 4km N. of Choques (A); Michelin square H4. ↩

26 August 1918; Monday

26 August 18August 1918Le VertannayArthur Linfoot

Didn’t have anything to do. Sat reading and writing. I wrote article for magazine on subject of French lessons. Relieved after breakfast. Lay in bed all day but couldn’t sleep. On duty at 9 o’clock.

25 August 1918; Sunday

25 August 18August 1918Charlie, Le Vertannay, LettersArthur Linfoot

Didn’t feel too clever in the room and stayed outside a good bit. A fair amount of gunfire during the night. Wrote letter home and one to Charlie. Did a scrap of French but felt very tired. Relieved at about 8 o’clock. Got down to it at 9 and slept until mid-day. Got up after 7 o’clock and on duty at 9 again.

24 August 1918; Saturday

24 August 18August 1918Charlie, Choques, Franchie, Inwood, Le Vertannay, LettersArthur Linfoot

Up at 5.30 and got cleaned up. Wet morning. Moved to Le Vertannay¹ farm and went on night duty again. Lay down during the afternoon and came on duty at 9 o’clock. Only slept short time and was very sleepy later in the morning. Received letter from Charlie and one from Franchie – quite a bright letter.

Le Vertannay (spelling not really certain): only a farm, so not identified on Michelin map. ↩

23 August 1918; Friday

23 August 18August 1918Choques, Letters, WarArthur Linfoot

I slept from 2 o’clock until 6.30. Off duty at about 8 o’clock. Very heavy gunfire to the right. A rumour that we have attacked and won Arras and Soissons¹. On duty at 9 at night, after spending a wakeful day. Heard that we have to move tomorrow owing to Jerry retiring so far. British continue to progress at several points. Turned in at 1am and slept on the floor of the dressing room. Received letter from home.

Soissons is the only place-name I can (roughly) fit to the shorthand outline, but it is far to the S. of Arras. (DL) ↩

22 August 1918; Thursday

22 August 18August 1918Choques, Library, WarArthur Linfoot

On duty at night and did a little French. Off duty at 9 o’clock. Slept very little during the day. Heard that the British have advanced round about Achiet le Petit and the French are advancing towards Noyon. Very good news. On duty at 9 o’clock at night. Read a good bit of Richard Feverel¹.

The Ordeal of Richard Feverel: See 20 August, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩

The Diary of Arthur L. Linfoot

58th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.