Commenced fatigue work. I got charge of the mess book. Had to go to the station and draw rations. Received letters from Charlie to say that he is well. Had walk into town at night. Had ride in motor ambulance to the grocer’s to order things.
All posts by Arthur Linfoot
17 October 1915; Sunday
Paraded in the morning to see the colonel but he didn’t turn up. Had short walk in the afternoon. Went to our own chapel with McNeil and other two chaps at night. We were invited up to a Mr Dodds’ house on Thursday night. Spoke to the minister and an old woman called Carlyle who has a son in Sheffield.
16 October 1915; Saturday
Paraded at 12 o’clock and left Sheffield by the 1.40 train for Alnwick. Travelled first-class from York to Newcastle. Had the company of Sergeant-Major Ford all the way. Arrived at Alnwick at about 7 o’clock. The sergeant and a corporal met us and marched us to the rest camp. Had cold water and jam and bread. Got our hut selected and our beds.
Left Sheffield & arrived at Alnwick12.
The only WW1 Army camp known (in 2013) to the staff at Alnwick’s Bailiffgate Museum was on The Pastures on the N. bank of the Aln facing Alnwick Castle, which is indicated on the map above; photos show the Northumberland Fusiliers there in bell-tents. ALL’s photos show wooden huts; there would have been room for these on The Pastures site, though perhaps there was a separate R.A.M.C. camp. See also Alnwick map. ↩
The photograph, from Bill M on Flickr and not from ALL’s own archive, shows the wooden huts of the miltary hospital on the Pastures site at Alnwick, c. 1916. ↩
15 October 1915; Friday
Had good breakfast. Paraded at 9 o’clock and marched down to barracks. No officer turned up. Spent most of day mucking about. Went into Inwoods’ at night & said Goodbye.
14 October 1915; Thursday
Up at 6 o’clock. Got news that we were all to go back to barracks. Went to barracks at night and saw Corporal Findlater, who said he is going to Fairholme. Called in and saw Inwoods.
13 October 1915; Wednesday
Up at 6 o’clock as usual. Wrote some letters. Grand weather. Went to town at night.
12 October 1915; Tuesday
Sergeant-Major Ford arrived in the afternoon and took away Sergeant King and left me in charge. Rumours current about going away early. I got a room to myself. Corporal Greenway got King’s room and I got his.
11 October 1915; Monday
Up at 6 o’clock. Sergeant-Major Ford came up in the afternoon and took Sergeant King away. Orders came for us to return the 80 field ambulance men and we received 80 men from R&S Company in their place.
10 October 1915; Sunday
Not well in the morning. Lay down most of the day. Didn’t go to church, or out to tea as I should have done to Mrs Ford’s. Had short walk at night with Holden, and bought some sweets and had a drink of fizz.
9 October 1915; Saturday
Up at 6 o’clock. Wrote letters all morning. Rather bad with diarrhoea and took it easy. Went to town and bought wrist watch at night, and then went for Guild Meeting at the Wesleyan church. Mr Inwood asked me to play. Played at Guild Meeting. Had supper and <at> Inwoods’ and hurried back. Mr Inwood set me back.