This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Got a piece of shrapnel out of the shoulder of a Y. & L soldier. Stayed up until about 1.30 a.m. and slept until about 7 o’clock. Had good night though Germans sent over gas shells after a while. Were relieved at 8 o’clock and marched down to about the dressing station then on to billets near the chateau. After calling at ASC park got to know that a big munitions dump had been fired and that Sergeant Jones had been killed and Sergeant Brown wounded at about 8 o’clock. Two men had been gassed the night before and five men had gone down the line. Fine day. Returned to old billet with Lavere. Heard that Ted Trim (stretcher bearer) had been awarded the DCM on 2nd July. Parcel from home and letter from Joe. Had eggs, brown bread and butter for tea.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Had an egg for breakfast then we proceeded up to some dugouts, German, where there were places with long underground tunnels. Some Canadians in them and one of them sat and told us yarns. They were making a new (corduroy) road¹ over recently [?gained] ground. Ordered up the line at 5 o’clock and went to Capt. King’s dressing station at the chalk quarry. Nothing for us to do. Sat about in the cold all night. Managed to scrape about two hours sleep. Felt very miserable and “funky”. Not many German shells over but our guns bombarded fearfully all night and the noise was deafening in the quarry. 6th Black Watch cut up badly in the reserve trenches. Lavere and I tried and failed to build a shelter against splinters. Very cold. Wrapped myself in an overcoat and ground sheet I found on the aid post dump to try to keep warm. Seven dead men lying side by side on stretchers at the aid post.

1. A corduroy road is a type of road made by placing sand-covered logs perpendicular to the direction of the road. ↩

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Up at about 5 o’clock after sleeping very little. Walked to and fro to keep warm. Saw a small book lying on the salvage dump (stuff taken off dead and wounded) outside aid post. It was a New Testament and on the flyleaf was written , “Read a verse every day and God will keep you safe. Mind you say your prayers. Loving Mother.” In the grey dawn it was depressing. Moved back to old bivouac near Chateau. Weather fine. Had a bath in horse bucket. Letter from Sandwith. Turned in about nine o’clock.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Slept well and up at 8 o’clock. Marched up to the big Canadian dugout and on from there to our advanced dressing station at 8 o’clock. Built bivouac in the big open dugout. Dealt with five stretcher cases and a few walking cases from artillery nearby. Lay down about 4 a.m. but slept badly owing to the noise of our guns and a few German shells. Felt depressed and “windy”. With Bascombe all day.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Up at seven a.m. After breakfast we walked down to the horse lines. Made a big shelter from rain with waggon sheets and waggons. Very hot day and I felt very tired. Germans shelled very heavily to the left and right of us with big stuff. After tea a few squads were sent up as reserves to the 59th Ambulance and the rest of us came back to the Chateau near Fricourt. Told to be ready to fall in and go up the line any time. Slept in the bivouac with Lavere again.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Up at 7 o’clock. Very hot all day. The remainder of the bearers came down from the trenches in the afternoon and we marched off to Laviéville at night. Went to our old billets in the farmyard where the shrewish wife¹ lives.

1. “Shrewish wife”: See ALL’s own transcription of 28 June. ↩

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Received parcel and letter from home and acknowledged them. Duggans and I went into a field and put up bivouac. Had dinner and tea out of my parcel.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Slept pretty well. Again ordered to prepare for inspection by C.O. These cancelled and ordered to clean waggons and pack them. Inspected by C.O. in the afternoon. He read a letter from General Rowlandson (Commander of 19th Division) saying he appreciated the work of the division while in the Fourth Army and referred to the 19th as the captors of La Boisselle and as having given valuable help in the capture of Mametz and Bazentin-le-Petit. Transport waggons moved off.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Up at 5.30 breakfast at 6. Sent on waggon duty. Put my kit on a motor ambulance and went with it to Mericourt station. Met the unit there and told to follow them. Hurried back to Laviéville, got my pack and hurried to Mericourt. Entrained in cattle trucks at about 10 o’clock. Passed through Longpre and Amiens at about 1.30. Got off train there and were led in wrong direction. Marched about three hours in hot sun. Terrible dusty roads. Blister under right heel. Billeted in bivouac in a field with Duggins. Walked to the village – Vauxchelle – after tea. Had two eggs at one house and a feed at another.

This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.

Up at seven after restless night. Wrote letters and walked to village at night.