Up about 7.30. Spent morning looking after our little dugout. A new lot from the 52 Ambulance took over and arranged for us to go on night duty. Immediately after dinner received orders to return. Went down in the car just in time for tea. Went to A section billet in the big cellar. Had a cold on chest and felt a bit off form. Got down to it about 5.30 and slept well.
3 January 1918; Thursday
Up about 7.45. On parade at 9 o’clock. On working party in the wood. Some German planes over and dropped bombs. Killed a few men and several horses. One of the planes brought down with a bomb. Wrote letter to Ernie. Fine bright day.
Sergeant Rogers warned me to go to the walking wounded place to relieve Mills at once. Went on the car immediately after dinner. Helped with some field artillery wounded. Went to bed about 9.30.
2 January 1918; Wednesday
Up about 7.30. On working party at new A D S.1 Stayed until 3 o’clock, and got back about 4 o’clock. Very cold and a fair amount of snow. Had no dinner until we returned – only a drop of vile tea and dry bread. Went to whist drive at night in the dispensary. Very good time. Decent refreshments and spent the night from 6.30 to 10. I scored 140. Top score 190, bottom 120.
Advanced Dressing Station ↩
1 January 1918; Tuesday
[In the space before 1 January – ] Things to eat. Old fashioned custard.
Up about 7.30. On working party in the wood. Lit a fire and stood round it. Received a Christmas letter from Joe, also Christmas card, sermon and some papers. Sat over fire at night and wrote letter.
31 December 1917; Monday
Got into a car at headquarters and went up to the A D S 1 with it. Murrill, Truman and myself stayed at the dressing station and the other men went up. Sat all night. Got to know that our bearers had had a rough house in the night and that we had 20 casualties to clear 17 stretcher cases.
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Bob Forrest, Webbs†, Jarratt, Frankland, Wood and three others went down the line. Billy Truman and I returned to headquarters in the evening about 7. Spent afternoon in the Hindenburg Trench bringing down sick.
30 December 1917; Sunday
Up about 7.30. Woke up by heavy gunfire and German shells bursting near. Heard that the Germans had attacked and taken two lines of trenches. Saw a few German prisoners. On fatigue all day. Went to a C of E service at night and it was very good. Commenced letter to Mr Eaves1 and then had a discussion about war and armies and all the rest of it. Turned in about 11 o’clock. Pulled out again about 12 to go up the line. About 30 of us altogether.
29 December 1917; Saturday
Up about 7.30. On working party. Not much to do. Rather cold. Bought some pears and cocoa. Had good supper . Had discussion at night. Frost giving a bit. Got clean change. And washed feet at night.
28 December 1917; Friday
Up about 7.30. On parade at 9. Did precious little in the morning. Washed pants and towel at dinnertime. Received postcard from Leishman. Saw German aeroplane brought down in flames quite near. Spent afternoon round the fire talking and arguing.
27 December 1917; Thursday
On working party again. Stayed at night with Harvey, Holman and Mills and had tea <in> another little dugout. Left about 8 o’clock and came down. Met Mark Jackson, half drunk, and he came into the billet and talked until late. Had good night’s rest.
Received Christmas card from Ranald MacDonald. Big peace rumours. Read account of the official entry into Jerusalem1.
“Official entry into Jerusalem”: Following a long battle, Jerusalem had fallen to the Allies on 9-10 December 1917. On 11 December 1917, Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, GCB, GCMG, GCVO (23 April 1861 – 14 May 1936), commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), made his formal entry into Jerusalem on foot through the Jaffa gate, instead of by horse or vehicle, to show his great respect for the holy place. ↩
26 December 1917; Wednesday
Up about 7.30 and on working party. Spent day until 3.30 at the walking wounded place. Spent night working and suchlike†. Wrote letter home.