Up about 7.45. Not much to do all day. Had a bath in the afternoon. Lost my watch somewhere. Rather annoyed about it. Did a wee bit French last thing.
Category Archives: January 1918
20 January 1918; Sunday
19 January 1918; Saturday
Up at about 7.45. A few patients in first thing and we were kept pretty busy until dinner-time. Got train cleared nicely. Glanced at a bit French last thing.
18 January 1918; Friday
Up at 7.20. Shaved and got ready. Rain in the afternoon. Not many patients in the morning. Finished nicely. Had some wounded in at night and one young lad died as they brought him. Received letter from Ernie and replied to it. Read sermon by Dr Fort Newton1 on the Mother of Christ and thought it extremely good. Went to bed rather late.
17 January 1918; Thursday
My 28th Birthday Up about 7.30. A lot of patients in for breakfast. Kept busy all day and a record day. Over 140 patients altogether. A stretcher wounded case in at night. I had two green envelopes1 given me by a patient and wrote a letter home at night. Received a letter and card and photo group with Billy Peake on it from home. Went to bed about midnight.
Green envelopes: Letters from soldiers on active service were subject to censorship but, as a privilege, soldiers were also given one green envelope per month in which they could send uncensored personal and private letters. If unused, perhaps these green envelopes were a gift to ALL, hence ALL’s letter home later this day? ↩
16 January 1918; Wednesday
Up at 7.30. A fair number of patients in. Holman and Harvey added to our party. Rained heavily all day. Kept very busy all day until late.
15 January 1918; Tuesday
Had very busy day. A lot of patients and very heavy rain at night. The car got stuck in the ditch and was in for about 3 hours. Sergeant Powell stayed to help all the time and was wet through. I got wet too, though only for a short time.
Bert and Preece going to help on the train.
14 January 1918; Monday
Up about 7.30. Billy Truman, Murray and I went up to walking wounded post at Trescault1. Found Sergeant Powell there. Very busy all day and had a lot of men to look after. Ben Jenkins and Carmichael there too. Worked until late. Unsatisfactory job. Sent for more men.
13 January 1918; Sunday
Up about 7.30. On fatigue all day. Detailed for walking wounded post in the morning. Went to service at night and it was very good. John and Billy with us. Party came down the line smothered in mud.
12 January 1918; Saturday
Up about 7.30. On parade at 9 and fatigues all day. Read article by A G G1 on the war and the churches and also a sermon on “Providence” by J Fort Newton2.
AGG would be A G Gardiner (1865 – 1946), editor of the Daily News 1902 – 1919 and popular writer. ALL had previously mentioned a book by A G Gardiner. Prophets, Priests and Kings, which he had read while on holiday in St Andrews in 1915. See Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩