Category Archives: 1917

All diary entries written in 1917

20 January 1917; Saturday

20 January 17January 1917Front LineArthur Linfoot

Up at 7 o’clock and went up to the Cheshires aid post at 9 o’clock. In a dugout along with a few of the Cheshires¹ and a sergeant. Burns, Holman, Toase and I. Burns and I set off with a man on our backs. A shell burst a short distance behind us in the trench. Did a bit foraging about in the wet and we were wet up to the knees in ice cold water and mud. Slept very little and in a most uncomfortable position.

Shorthand looks more like “Chesters”; but the 9th Cheshires were in the 58th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. ↩

19 January 1917; Friday

19 January 17January 1917Front LineArthur Linfoot

Up as usual. Helped with 3 stretcher cases to be taken round to headquarters. Frost showing no signs of going.

Plenty of shelling

18 January 1917; Thursday

18 January 17January 1917Front LineArthur Linfoot

Up about 7.30. Cleaned up the dugout. Walked to closed aid post with Sergeant Powell and saw new shell marks in the snow. Walked up to the Welsh aid post in the afternoon with Captain O’Brien. Some big shells going well over behind.

17 January 1917; Wednesday

17 January 17January 1917Authie, Birthday, Front Line, GasArthur Linfoot

My Birthday 27¹. Up at 5.30. Breakfast at 6. Fell in full pack at 7 and marched off about 7.20. Heavy fall of snow and still falling as we marched. Several of us fell down as we came down the hill from the camp. The march tired me a lot and I was nearly beat after the first stretch. Put into a deep dugout near to the Welsh aid post, along with Sergeant Powell, Holman, Bascombe and other 9. Slept pretty comfortably on the floor. Ball, the new man, on gas alert picket. Went up to aid post and had to get down a few times. They knocked in the parapet near shortly before we went along. A lovely birthday!

“27”: 17 January 1917 was ALL’s 27th birthday. ↩

16 January 1917; Tuesday

16 January 17January 1917AuthieArthur Linfoot

Up about 7. On wood-chopping in the morning and cut down a big tree. Did same in the afternoon and cut down a sapling. Went over the line at night. Snowed heavily overnight. Throat and chest pretty bad.

15 January 1917; Monday

15 January 17January 1917Authie, Franchie, Inwood, LettersArthur Linfoot

Up at 7 as usual. On water duty in the morning, and cut down a sapling in the afternoon. Commenced to write a letter to Franchie.

14 January 1917; Sunday

14 January 17January 1917Authie, Betty, Letters, MackArthur Linfoot

Up at the usual time. On water duty in the morning and off in the afternoon. Wrote to Robbie and Betty.

13 January 1917; Saturday

13 January 17January 1917AuthieArthur Linfoot

On the water job in the morning. Not much doing in the afternoon. Did post as usual.

12 January 1917; Friday

12 January 17January 1917AuthieArthur Linfoot

Up at 7 o’clock. Heavy cold on me. On parade in the morning and not much to do. In the afternoon went on with the water cart to draw washing water in the village. Oiled the pump and filled the barrels quickly.

11 January 1917; Thursday

11 January 17January 1917Authie, Hospital, MapArthur Linfoot

On duty first thing as usual, and relieved about 10.30. Packed kit, had dinner, helped to pack up and moved off about 12 o’clock. Arrived at Authie¹ at about 4 o’clock after a terrible heavy march. Felt beastly done up. Billeted in the same camp but in the lower house. Nice house with * †views in and baluster on†.

“Authie”: ALL was first at Authie on 7th October 1916, apparently at the same camp but a different billet. ↩

The Diary of Arthur L. Linfoot

58th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.