Did my turn on guard from 4 – 6 and from 10 – 12. Spent afternoon cleaning up and finished letter to Sister Annie1. Warned for the walking wounded place in the morning. Had toast for tea and supper.
Sister Annie: See note on 28 December 1916. ↩
Category Archives: December 1917
20 December 1917; Thursday
On with Corporal Chapman first thing and after that chopped wood. Warned for guard after dinner. Went on at 2 o’clock and did from 4 – 6 and 10 – 12. Very cold. Slept in the guard room.
19 December 1917; Wednesday
Paraded at 9 o’clock and spent the day helping him1 and chopping wood. Had good fire at night with plenty smoke. Tried to write to Sister Annie2. Had toast to tea and supper.
“Him”: Probably Chapman again; see yesterday’s entry. ALL occasionally wrote up two or more days at the same time and probably did so for 18/19 December 1917. Having written “Chapman” on the 18th, ALL continued to write the entry for the 19th and wrote “him” referring to Chapman, the last name he had mentioned. ↩
Sister Annie: See note on 28 December 1916. ↩
18 December 1917; Tuesday
Up shortly after 7.30. Busy on fatigue all morning. Had to go to the advanced place to take down some tents. A few shells very near while we were working. Corporal Chapman asked me to help <him> with the Christmas tasks.
17 December 1917; Monday
Up about 7 o’clock. On parade at 9. Messing about the camp. Harvey and Holman went up to assist another ambulance at the next village.
16 December 1917; Sunday
15 December 1917; Saturday
Took over at midnight. Did some French and wrote a short letter to Charlie. Didn’t sleep well all day. Warned for a new arrangement and to start at 8 tomorrow night instead of 4 o’clock to-night. Lay in bed. A few minutes later warned for duty at once and had to get up. No sooner on duty than warned to clear up and go back to bed and return to headquarters first thing in the morning. Returned to bed.
14 December 1917; Friday
On duty at night. Wrote long letter to Hilda Linfoot1. Two very bad cases in and we didn’t finish them until 9 o’clock. One man’s face was horribly smashed. Spent most of the day in bed but didn’t sleep at all. Very tired at night. Went on duty about 9 o’clock. Got the place ready, talked, and had dinner.
Hilda Tate Linfoot, ALL’s cousin. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
13 December 1917; Thursday
Up all night on duty in the stretcher case dressing room. About 20 of us on duty and not a case in. Changed our kit to a fresh place by the side of a stage in a hut. Slept through until nearly tea time. Moved our kit to a nice square marquee at night and slept there until after 11. On duty at 12.
12 December 1917; Wednesday
Up about 7.30. Warned for the Corps main dressing station. Reported at 9 and arrived there in about 10. Warned for our duties. We put the dressing room right in the afternoon and are to go on duty at midnight. Had a bath.