All posts by Arthur Linfoot

29 July 1917; Sunday

Up at 7 o’clock. Kept fairly busy all day. 3 patients went out. At Y M service at night. Had short walk before with Bob Walker and we were in the Outtersteene Road1 when Fritz2 sent some shells over in the direction of the station3.


  1. The Outtersteene Road is a road, now the D23, running SW from Bailleul (A) to Outtersteene (B), about 5km away. Bailleul station, apparently the objective of “Fritz'” shelling, is at (C). 

  2. Fritz: a name given to German troops by the British and others in the First and Second World Wars. 

  3. Probably Bailleul station. 

22 July 1917; Sunday

Usual day’s work. Heard that the Russians have stopped fighting in places1 and the Germans are driving them back. Freddie went on leave. Fritz2 shelled a lot. I got a new patient in Freddie’s ward.

German aeroplanes over at night bombing. A lot of anti-aircraft stuff in action and the noise pretty loud.

Off at night and went to Y M with Harry Bascombe and Gus. Had short walk afterwards.


  1. “The Russians have stopped fighting…”: ALL had noted the February Revolution in his diary entry of 18 March, and had also noted a rumour of Russian withdrawal from the war on 19 May. In fact Russian involvement in the war, though increasingly unenthusiastic, continued officially until October/November 1917

  2. Fritz: a name given to German troops by the British and others in the First and Second World Wars.