Up at about 7 o’clock. On parade at 9 and spent morning going through stuff on limber and getting new kit – I got a new canteen. Better news from Italy. Corporal Ogilvy, Pat Gibson, Bulmer, Franklin and some B section men drunk and a lot of noise and commotion in the billet last thing at night.
All posts by Arthur Linfoot
23 June 1918; Sunday
Up at about 7 o’clock. Eggs for breakfast. Paraded at 9 o’clock and dismissed after inspection. Wrote to Charlie most of the morning and had a short walk before dinner with Harvey. Finished Charlie’s letter and posted it in the afternoon. Received letter from home in the afternoon. Had walk at night. Saw some very large cross† sloe-berries. Glorious night.
Anniversary Sunday1 at home.
22 June 1918; Saturday
Up about 7 o’clock and on parade at 9 o’clock. Dismissed after inspection and kit inspection at 10 o’clock. Spent day looking up a bit French and writing to Charlie. Walked to next village at night with Harvey, Holman, and Billy. Fine night.
21 June 1918; Friday
Up at about 7 o’clock. Paraded at 2 o’clock, full marching order, and marched to the buses a short distance away. Started off about 3 in the buses and arrived at Boussey le Petit1 at about 6 o’clock. Had tea and a walk round the village. Determined to write to Charlie.
20 June 1918; Thursday
Up at 5.30. Pulled down bivouac, had breakfast, cleaned up and paraded at 8.30 and marched off at 9 o’clock. Passed through Avize and arrived at Oger1 at about 11 o’clock. Spent afternoon in billet and had pleasant walk at night. Fine night though showery morning. Received letter from Ernie and from Hilda Linfoot2.
Avize (B) and Oger (C) are villages some 8km and 9km SE. from Pierry (A); Michelin 515, square O9. ↩
Hilda Linfoot: ALL’s cousin in New Zealand. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
19 June 1918; Wednesday
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.
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.