Up at 7 o’clock and on duty at 7.30. Changed our billet into the bell tents, and I got in with Piggy Wood, Vic Barber , Foot and that lot. Usual day’s work.
Had walk into Loker at night.
Category Archives: March 1917
30 March 1917; Friday
Up as usual. And on duty. Learned that Graham had cerebral and spinal meningitis and that we are not to enter any place until further notice. Usual day’s work.
29 March 1917; Thursday
28 March 1917; Wednesday
27 March 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Kept fairly busy. Got a few letters written. Walked into Westouter1 at night and had some coffee at Alice’s. They have had their business stopped by the gendarme, and served us on the quiet. Saw the old places once more.
26 March 1917; Monday
Up at 7 o’clock and on duty as usual. Had to look after a sick officer most of the morning. Went to Renninghelst1 at night to the Crumps concert2. It was very good – the best I have seen in France. Went in the motor ambulance and walked back up.
Renninghelst (sic): Actually Reninghelst, now Flemish Reningelst (B), 6km NW. of La Clytte/Klijte (A), towards Poperinghe; Michelin square I3. ↩
“Crumps concert”; presumably another soldiers’ revue. Information about soldiers’ revues is uncertain, but a ‘Crumps’ party is mentioned in connection with the 59th Division. Crump is an old English dialect word for a hard hit or blow which, after 1914, came to be used for the explosion of a heavy artillery shell; the craters left by such shells were often referred to as crump-holes. This may be how The Crumps concert party got its name. ↩
25 March 1917; Sunday
Up at 7 by new time – 6 in reality1. On duty as usual. Sandwith and a friend came very gamely to see me in the morning and we talked all the while. We were issued with waterproof capes in the evening. Received letter from Ernie. Went to service at the Y M at night and after the service played the piano until closing time, while several other chaps sang. Had a good time. First time I have played since last August. Went to bed and swotted a bit French last thing.
24 March 1917; Saturday
Up at 7 o’clock. On duty at 7.30. Got breakfast and cleaned up the place. Kept fairly busy all day. Finished 6.30. Shaved and walked up to the Y M.
Heavy bombardment through the early hours of the morning and pretty heavy firing all day.
23 March 1917; Friday
Up at 7 o’clock. Kept pretty busy in the hospital all day. Sergeant Powell in rather a bad temper during the morning. Up at Y M at night and tried to write a letter.
22 March 1917; Thursday
Up at 7 o’clock and on duty at 7.30. Kept busy all day. A bit of tension but only a few patients in. Went to Locre1 at night with Sergeant Powell and Ike Taylor at night and saw part 3 and 4 of the Somme pictures. Had a snack at the YM hall.
Gas helmet parade.