Up at about 7 o’clock in the morning and did nothing but French all day. Walked through the village at night. The band didn’t play. Finished our meals and tried to think things out a bit.
Yearly Archives: 2018
18 June 1918; Wednesday
Up about 7 o’clock. On parade and dismissed. Spent morning and afternoon reading and writing. Received interesting letter from Charlie and a letter from Ranald MacDonald. Better news from Italy. Went into village at night and heard the Italian band play. It was very good.
17 June 1918; Monday
Up at 6.30. Rather dull morning. On parade as usual and spent morning digging a hole. Read all afternoon1 and had pass to Epernay at night with Harvey. It rained heavily and rather spoiled our visit. Had splendid dinner. Back about 9 o’clock.
The Passionate Friends again? See The Passionate Friends and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩
16 June 1918; Sunday
Up about 7 o’clock. Paraded at 9. Not much to do. Read a good lot of Wells’ “Passionate Friends”1 and wrote home and to Charlie. Received letter from home. Not much in the news. Our Divisional band played in the village in the afternoon and in the evening an Italian band played splendidly. Had walk with Holman at night. Quite a †new life† with this place. Saw the girl I spoke to a few days ago2. Some bonny kiddies in the town. The troops of four armies in the crowd. Heard that Austrians had attacked on the Italian front.
“[The] Passionate Friends”: 1913 novel by H G Wells. ALL had started to read this book a few days earlier, on 10 June. See also The Passionate Friends and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩
ALL did not record his earlier meeting with this girl in his diary. ↩
15 June 1918; Saturday
Up about 6.30 and on parade. Not much to do. Had boots repaired in the afternoon and went for a long walk with Sergeant Powell, Billy and Harvey at night. Splendid walk and splendid night. People looked at us strangely as if they hadn’t seen many English troops. Had a coffee in an estaminet in which were English, Italian and French troops, very picturesque.
14 June 1918; Friday
Up about 6.30. Paraded at 8 o’clock and on fatigue most of the morning. Commenced letter to Franchie. On fatigue in the afternoon. Had walk at night with Holman and Billy Truman. Glorious night. War news better. Letter from Ernie.
13 June 1918; Thursday
Up at 6.30 and on parade at 8 o’clock. On parade a short time in the morning. Looked up some French. Better news in the paper. Glorious weather. Letter from Charlie.
12 June 1918; Wednesday
Up about 7 o’clock. Went out into Bill’s bivouac. Fine day again. Bright in the afternoon. Wrote a letter, had a bath and washed some things. Bought some grub for tea. Better news from the battle which is raging.
11 June 1918; Tuesday
Up about 7 o’clock. On parade at 9 o’clock and didn’t do much work. Walked out at night with Harvey and had a long talk. Glorious woods. Did a little French. Received a letter from Franchie.
Heard better news from the French battle front and that the Germans were having to fight for all that they got.
10 June 1918, Monday
Up about 7 o’clock and didn’t do much all day. Changed shirt and cleaned up generally in the afternoon. Heard that Jerry had attacked again and was making progress. Had walk with Harvey and good long talk. Commenced to read “The Passionate Friends”1.
“The Passionate Friends”: 1913 novel by H G Wells. See also The Passionate Friends and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩