On fatigue putting up goal posts in the morning. Had haircut in the afternoon. Football match between Alnwick and camp. Fish† got his nose hurt. In town at night and had supper at a café. Read all the afternoon. Saw the Misses Mack but didn’t speak.
Category Archives: January 1916
21 January 1916; Friday
Received postcard from Ernie to say he would not be stopping at Alnmouth. Walked into town. Heard that the Misses Mack were in town again.
Ernie & Hilda left St. Andrews1 & returned to Sunderland.
“.. left St Andrews” appears to mean permanent return to Sunderland; Ernie is “at the shop”, sc. Hills’, on 19 February 1916. See also Family page. ↩
20 January 1916; Thursday
On fatigue as usual. Went to the pictures at night with Black and his girl. Picture a sequel to the one last night.
19 January 1916; Wednesday
On fatigues as usual. Went into town. With Black at night. Came back early and went to the Y.M. Had a bath and went to bed early.
18 January 1916; Tuesday
On fatigues as usual. Walked into town and straight back. Kicked the football a bit at dinner time. Wrote letters and wrote up diary at night.
17 January 1916; Monday
On parade in the morning. Funeral of Sergeant Bell in the afternoon. Firing party, band and full procession. Had walk at night with Black. Met his girl and her sister and talked a bit. Walked up the road a bit and talked over marriage and girls generally.
Sgt. Bell’s funeral.
My 26th Birthday. Received cakes from home and * [?money] from Charlie.
16 January 1916; Sunday
At church (Clayport) as usual. Stayed in the recreation room all the afternoon. Walked a few yards with the younger Miss Mack in the morning. Walked up to the camp with Miss Alder and that Tyneside Scotch chap and wished him goodbye. In Y.M. last thing. Played the piano a bit. Received letter case from home.
15 January 1916; Saturday
On parade in the morning. In the afternoon had a walk with Black and discovered a new road. Had poached eggs for tea at little café. Received pay at 2 o’clock. Went to pictures at night and saw Prisoner of Zenda.
Newcastle Daily Journal 15 January 1916
Image and text via the British Newspaper Archive.
MOTOR AMBULANCE VAN FATALITY
Inquest on a Soldier at Alnwick
Mr Charles Percy held an inquiry at Alnwick yesterday, into the circumstances attending the death of Thomas Bell (32), a private on the motor transport of the Army Service Corps, though holding the local rank of sergeant while stationed at Alnwick. His death was the result of injuries received while driving a motor van in the direction of Alnwick, on Wednesday night.
Colonel P. Broome Giles, C.B., commandant of the convalescent camp at Alnwick, stated that the deceased had taken charge of the car1 entirely at his own initiative, and without orders.
Ernest Ball, a private in the motor transport of the Army Service Corps at Alnwick, stated that just before ten o’clock on Wednesday night he got an order to drive the motor ambulance car2 to Titlington with Mr G. Sordy and his wife, who had been attending the military concert in the Y.M.C.A. hut at the encampment. They got to Titlington, a distance of about ten miles, just after eleven o’clock. A gale of wind was blowing. They stayed at Titlington about half an hour, during which time he had one and a half glasses of whisky, and the deceased had two ordinary glasses of whisky. The deceased took the wheel of the car on the return to Alnwick. Continue reading Newcastle Daily Journal 15 January 1916
14 January 1916; Friday
Up at 7.30. Breakfast in with the men. Started route march, but a man fell out and I had to return with him. On fatigue in the afternoon road making. Had a bath.