At church parade in the morning with over-coats. At Inwoods’ to tea and supper with Hoare and a lot of other soldiers. Played a bit. Miss Inwood away for the weekend.
All posts by Arthur Linfoot
28 August 1915; Saturday
On parade in the morning. Cleaned out rooms. I was orderly man, and missed a route march which the other fellows did.
Received postcard from Joe saying Marmie was going through Sheffield1 and I might see her. Spent the afternoon in the station but didn’t see her. Mr Young† finished off my job. Had tea in the Soldiers’ Home. Played the piano a good bit.
We do not know where Marmie was going; perhaps to Lincoln, where she and Joe had lived up to 1914. ↩
27 August 1915; Friday
26 August 1915; Thursday
On Guard. Commenced duty 9 o’clock in the morning. I went on until 11.30. Grand day. A lot of recruits came in.
25 August 1915; Wednesday
Drilled all day. Went to Mr Inwood’s at night with Dunn. I played the piano. Miss Inwood sang some songs and we were still getting on with the Concones1 when some other soldiers came and we played other things. Got to know I was to be on guard tomorrow.
At Inwoods’2 with Dunn.
“Concones”: widely-used singing exercises by the Italian composer and teacher, Giuseppe Concone; used by Charlie with ALL at home. ↩
See page: Church – Who were they? ↩
24 August 1915; Tuesday
Up at 5.30. Drill and lectures as usual. Received letter from Charlie in the morning, and also books from Ernie at dinner-time.
News of a German Destroyer being sunk by French torpedo boats.
23 August 1915; Monday
Had drill after dinner. Had to wash out rooms first thing and only paraded at 7 and 10. Inspected by General of Northern Command in the morning. Out with Dunn, Moil and another chap at night. Visited the reading room at the Wesleyan chapel. Miss Inwood walked in and spoke for a minute. Received postcard from Charlie saying he would try to get across to see me.
[Written at foot of previous day’s page - ] Monday. Received news of the battle in the Baltic1. The Molke [sic] sunk by a British submarine and 2 or 3 cruisers and 8 German destroyers destroyed or damaged by the Russians, who lost one ship.
The Battle of the Gulf of Riga was a major engagement between the German High Seas Fleet and the Russian Baltic Fleet, but British vessels were involved. The Moltke was indeed torpedoed on 19 August by the British submarine E1, but did not sink, was repaired in Hamburg, and survived Jutland and other engagements, to be scuttled at Scapa Flow at the end of the War. Moltke had previously been involved in several other incidents noted in the diaries, including the Battle of Heligoland Bight, the Raid on Yarmouth, the Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby and the Battle of Dogger Bank. ↩
22 August 1915; Sunday
Had church parade in the morning. To Inwoods’ to tea and supper. At church at night. Fine day. Spent afternoon at the Soldiers’ Home.
[The entry for Monday 23 August is continued on the lower part of this page.]
21 August 1915; Saturday
Cleaned out rooms. Suffering from inoculation still and feeling very seedy. Had long walk in the afternoon with Dunn and Hotchkiss and had conversation afterwards with Dunn and discovered he was a distinct agnostic. Had tea at the Soldiers’ Home.
20 August 1915; Friday
Drilled <as> usual in the morning and received our pay. Inoculated second time in the afternoon by Captain Seely. Felt it more than first time. Scrubbed floors in the afternoon. Out for a walk at night. Wrote letters.
Received 4/- pay.