Up at 7 o’clock. Through in good time in the morning. The Germans sent one or two shells over. Fine morning but heavy showers hanging about. My night on and kept fairly busy. Got in a new captain.
All posts by Arthur Linfoot
19 June 1917; Tuesday
Up at about 6.45. Kept pretty busy all day. Captain Johnson paraded us and told us that we must keep our wards clean and tidy. Off at night. Went to the pictures at the Y M. They were vile. Commenced letter to Charlie. Received new clothing from headquarters – a pair of trousers for me.
18 June 1917; Monday
Up at 6.30. Very busy all day. Captain Johnson told me off for having an untidy ward. I received a new patient and also Freddie Holmes. Had busy night, we were short of tumblers. Got through all right. Wrote long letter to Franchie Inwood.
17 June 1917; Sunday
Up at 6.45. Kept pretty busy all day. Very hot day. Lieutenant Wilson went to C C S and gave me ten francs. Heard of a new slight advance and capture of a few more prisoners. Harvey, John Dory and his brother called for me and we went to the Y M. Gus Rodman also with us. After service walked round the town and then went by the flying ground. Bonny night.
16 June 1917; Saturday
Up at 6.30. Busy all day. My turn on at night. Very hot all day.
15 June 1917; Friday
Up at 6.30. Kept busy all day. Received letters from home.
14 June 1917; Thursday
Up at 6.45. Commenced work as usual. My night on and pretty busy.
13 June 1917; Wednesday
Up pretty well all night. A machine gun sweeping round outside the dugout. Relieved unexpectedly in the morning by the 59 Field Ambulance about 5 o’clock. Marched down to P & O trench1 with wheeled stretchers. Had breakfast there. Marched on to La Clyte with an officer called Captain Marsh. Marched from there to Berthen with only one officer and two men fainted on the way. Packs carried supplies. My heel gave me some trouble through my socks being worn out. Everybody mad with Captain Marsh for his foolishness. After dinner the Bailleul party ordered to return and we went back in the motor ambulance. Had a bath and a walk round the town at night. Slept in the old billet at night.
12 June 1917; Tuesday
Up at 6 o’clock. Marched off about 6.30. Relieved men at first relay post. Saw an aeroplane go down in flames. Proved to be ours. Had a pretty hot time and the dugout was once filled with smoke from a shell. Not much to do and I only helped with two stretcher cases and one walking case. Shelled just to our left as * and I took down a walking case. Lee spent most of the day telling us his usual silly yarns.
Arthur * in place of Harry Bascombe.
11 June 1917; Monday
A shell just missed us again about 6 o’clock in the morning. Were relieved at 7 o’clock. Harry Bascombe ordered down to La Clyte and Arthur Lyne to take his place. Turned in to kip1 and slept exhausted after dinner until about 6 o’clock. Had tea and shaved and washed. Received word from Franchie Inwood to say that she is in hospital and to go through an operation to have a growth removed from †her finger† this summer. Also received a letter from home. Went to bed about 9 o’clock.
“Kip”(if correct), meaning “sleep”: a word which ALL occasionally used in speech in later life, but apparently too colloquial for the diary until now. ↩