Up shortly after 6 and on duty about 7. Off in the afternoon and walked to the town. Glanced at some French. On duty from 5 – 8. Turned in about 10 o’clock.
All posts by Arthur Linfoot
10 December 1918; Tuesday
Up shortly after 6 and on parade at 6.30. Went to our ward at 7 and stayed until 5 at night. Wet day. Managed all right. Wrote letter home.
9 December 1918; Monday
Up about 7 o’clock. Not detailed for any work first thing so did French all morning. Put on duty in the afternoon. Worked until 5 and managed all right. Went to pictures at night and came out before the end.
8 December 1918; Sunday
Up at about 7 o’clock. Went along to billet and got a place next to Billy. Walked out with him in the morning. Warned to go to number 18 C C S, in the afternoon after 2 o’clock. Arrived shortly after 2 o’clock and did nothing during the afternoon but look round the place. Did a little French at night and read a bit. Prospects none too pretty. Wrote home.
Went to Doullens.
7 December 1918; Saturday
Up at 5 am and fell in at 7. Entrained about 10 o’clock and arrived at Amiens about 6. Entrained in supplies train to Longpré1 and changed again to Doullens. Nurse with child beyond Longpré and Doullens. Left Doullens about 10.30 to walk to Longuevillette2 and got lift on a car. Arrived about 11 o’clock and got down in a hostel.
6 December 1918; Friday
Arrived at King’s X at about 6.30. Crossed by tube to Victoria and left there about 7.30. Arrived Folkestone at about 10 and left at 2 o’clock. Slept part of the way across and * †landing nest the rest†. Stayed below. Arrived at Boulogne1 at about 5 o’clock. Marched up bank to camp and got bills and francs. Got down about 10 o’clock.
The map shows ALL’s journey from Newcastle (A) to Boulogne (D), via London (B) and Folkestone (C). ↩
5 December 1918; Thursday
Up at about 8 o’clock. Walked round town in the morning. Saw Grandmother. Father off in the afternoon and we went to the Havelock picture house1. Saw a pretty decent picture. Hilda2 down to tea. Went up to the station about 9 o’clock and went off 9.25. Got 10.40 at Newcastle.
Leave ended.
See note on 27 December 1915. ↩
4 December 1918; Wednesday
Up about 8 o’clock. Went to Eaves’1 but he wasn’t in. Walked round town. Went to Roker in the afternoon. Uncle George in at night. Sister Mary to tea and Aunt Mary. Uncle George now on jury day-time until pretty late.
Mr Eaves was a minister at the South Durham Street United Methodist Free Church, where ALL and his family were members. ↩
3 December 1918; Tuesday
Up at about 10 o’clock. Walked round town. Went to pictures at night with Father. Heard clever pianist and violinist but saw a rotten picture. Went into Whittakers’ last thing and saw Billy1.
ALL’s close friend, Willie Whittaker, had been killed in action on 22 October. Billy here may refer to William Whittaker senior, Willy Whittaker’s father. ↩
2 December 1918; Monday
Up at about 8 o’clock. Walked round town. Went to Mill1 in the afternoon and saw Mr Sandilands2 and he practically told me that they didn’t want me back3. Had a little party, Jack Holt, Charlie, Dora, Olive, Ada, Betty and Hilda4 to supper. Stayed until about 3 o’clock.
“Mill”: The Hendon Paper Works Company, where ALL had been employed prior to joining the RAMC. ↩
“Mr Sandilands”: Presumably the new manager at the Hendon Paper Works following the untimely death of Aitken. ↩
ALL’s former employer evidently felt no moral obligation to re-employ returning servicemen. ↩
Hilda: See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩