Up at 7 o’clock after good night’s sleep. Fine day. I stayed in all day and swotted French in the afternoon. Turned in at usual time. German planes came over and bombed us from 11 to 3 next morning, dropped about 80 bombs. We finished our night’s sleep in the kitchen and were very tired next morning. Some very big bombs dropped.
5 July 1917; Thursday
Up at 7 o’clock. Busy all morning. Lieutenant Jones number 2 turned up again in the afternoon with his ankle trouble and two brothers in beds next to one another.
Ernie called to see me and met me as I was putting Captain Holmes’ kit into the ambulance. He looked round the place, had a wash and brush up and then we had tea in the small town, walked round and back again. I set him up to Locre. He is at Dikbush1 with 8” guns. Told one another a few adventures. Jolly called to see me.
Walked round with Walker at night.
4 July 1917; Wednesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Fairly busy all day. My turn out at night and went to the Australia concert party’s concert. It was pretty good and they had a good band and some good singers especially the bass.
The King visited the town in the afternoon. News of a Russian offensive.
I made an awful fool of myself at night.
3 July 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Kept fairly busy as usual. On duty at night. Played chess with Driver.
2 July 1917; Monday
Up at 7 o’clock. Not feeling too fit. Glorious day. Out in afternoon a little. Did some French. In at night.
1 July 1917; Sunday
Up at 7 o’clock. Kept fairly busy all day. Went to service at night. Very good service and pretty good sermon though rather too long. Bob Walker with me. Ernie1 not turned up yet. Received letter from home.
Ernie: see 5 July. There is nothing to indicate whether Ernie’s battery was in the Ypres Salient in time to take part in the Messines Ridge bombardment. See also: Family page, and all diary entries tagged “Ernie”. ↩
30 June 1917; Saturday
Up at 7 o’clock. Kept busy all day. Off at night and went to the Merry Mauves. They gave a fine concert and long programme. They had a very good company there too. Got out at 8.30. Had short walk round town. There with Gus Rodman. Did some French.
29 June 1917; Friday
Up at 7 o’clock. One bomb dropped in the night. Not far away. Off in the afternoon. Received letter from Charlie. Called at photo shop, but they weren’t ready. Received new patient, a captain of the 19th Division. Grand day. Learned some French at night. Billy Powell’s leave came through.
28 June 1917; Thursday
German aeroplanes dropped 5 bombs on aerodrome about 3 o’clock. Up at 7 o’clock. Felt pretty tired all day. Not much to do. My afternoon on. Wrote long letter home and enclosed photo group. Heard of another air raid on London1. Had walk round the town with Driver and learned bit French. Played chess with Driver until 10.30.
“Another air raid on London”: Possibly the raid of 13 June 1917, during which 13 Gothas bombed London and killed 162 civilians, the highest death toll of any air raid during the war. ↩
27 June 1917; Wednesday
Up at 7 o’clock. German aeroplanes dropped two bombs in the aerodrome about 4 am. Off in the afternoon. Called at the Y M and merely touched the piano. Spent a lot of time on French. On at night and had practically nothing to do. Felt a bit bored. Read a few snatches of things.