Up shortly after 6 o’clock and on parade. Not much to do. My night off. Went to Y M service with Harvey. More like a debating society than a service. Wet night. Bought some apples. Had letter enclosing photograph from Franchie Inwood.
21 December 1918; Saturday
Up at about 6.15 and on parade. Off in the afternoon and had short walk with Harvey.
20 December 1918; Friday
Up at 6.15 and on parade. Received parcel of shortbread from New Zealand1. Off at night and had walk with Harvey.
ALL’s uncles, Charles Poulter Linfoot and his brother William Gaylard Linfoot, and their families, emigrated to New Zealand on 25 July 1912. The diaries record occasional correspondence with family in New Zealand, most frequently with Hilda Tate Linfoot, Daughter of Charles Poulter Linfoot and therefore ALL’s first cousin. Perhaps it was she who had sent the shortbread? ↩
19 December 1918; Thursday
18 December 1918; Wednesday
Up about 6.15 and on duty. On in the afternoon. Told off by the M O for making a noise when he was sounding a patient. Concert at night but we didn’t stay. Wrote 4 letters.
17 December 1918; Tuesday
Up at about 6 o’clock and on duty. Short letters to Ernie and Charlie in the afternoon and had short walk with Harvey. Wrote to Ernie enclosing Charlie’s letter telling of his illness1.
16 December 1918; Monday
Up at 6 o’clock. On duty as usual. My turn on in the afternoon.
Received letter from Charlie telling me that he has had Malaria M. T.1 and is recovering. His letter is very wild and he has evidently been very ill and is still in a weak and nervous condition. Wrote to Ernie and home at once.
“Malaria M. T.” presumably means Malignant Tertian Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest species of Plasmodium, the cause of malaria in humans. ↩
15 December 1918; Sunday
Up about 6 o’clock as usual. On duty. Worked until 1 o’clock and from 5. Harvey and Holman called in. Wrote to Ernie and home. Received parcel of books from home. Short walk at night with Wood. Talked about dialects after we were in bed.
14 December 1918; Saturday
The period covered by the centenary of Arthur Linfoot’s diaries has now ended and no further diary posts by Arthur Linfoot will appear here. The final post was for 31 December 1918. We thank our loyal readers for their interest. This site will remain as a permanent record. Additionally we are considering a limited print run of a book containing most of this site’s contents, supplemented with additional narrative and background information. If you would like to express an interest, without obligation on either side, please get in touch via our feedback page and leave your name and number of copies you may require. Further news will appear here early in 2019.