Fine and covering of snow when we got up. On parade as usual. Clearing away snow all day. Went for night duty in the dressing room. Turned on duty at 8 o’clock. Had supper – porridge – and sat up talking.
4 March 1917; Sunday
On parade in the morning. Put on with Simmons picking up papers and things. Messed about on fatigues all day. Finished at 3 o’clock. Went to the Church Army hall with Corporal Mather at night. C of E service and enjoyed it pretty well.
3 March 1917; Saturday
On parade at 9 o’clock Orderly man for first time since I have been in France. Messed on with the fire a lot. Wrote letter home.
2 March 1917; Friday
Up at 7 o’clock and parade at 9 at the dispensary. Returned soon. Captain Johnson examined me and said that there was nothing serious wrong with me and that perhaps I was a bit off form. Did nothing in the morning. Helped to wash out the dressing and waiting rooms in the afternoon. Walked to the village of Beausart1 at night but nothing doing.
Beausart: presumably Beaussart (B); 1½km W. of Mailly-Maillet (A). ↩
1 March 1917; Thursday
Up at 7 o’clock. Received short notice in the morning that we are to move away to headquarters at 11 o’clock. And pack up and move off about 12 o’clock. I was very much distressed on the way and fell out about half way there with Harvey. Very heavy going. Arrived shortly after the parade. Shaved and cleaned up. Had afternoon off. Returned to the camp at Maily1.
Maily: probably Mailly-Maillet, as mentioned on 23 January and apparently the location of headquarters; 10km N. of Albert, Michelin square H7. ↩
28 February 1917; Wednesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Shaved and dressed and went to tent. Had paste egg1 for breakfast. Posted letter to Charlie. Expecting 400 to [figure omitted?] wounded soldiers.
The papers tells [sic] us of the capture of Serre, Pys, Miraumont2 etcetera. 2 mile advance on 12 mile front – also capture of Kut- el-Amam3.
“Paste egg”: North-Eastern English vernacular for hard boiled egg. Paste eggs were usually decorated and were associated with Easter although this particular paste egg would have been neither. ↩
Miraumont (A) and Pys (B) are 5km and 7km respectively E. of Serre (C; Michelin square I7); Pys is 3km NW of the D929 from Albert to Bapaume, and only 7km from the latter. ↩
Possibly a reference to the second battle of Kut. See also yesterday and 20 February. ↩
27 February 1917; Tuesday
Up at usual time. Papers mention the capture of Serre & village beyond1.
Rumoured capture of Kut-el-Amam2.
Walked to Lealvillers but found no concert there. Bought some things and walked to the little cocoa house and had some biscuits and cocoa. Went to bed fairly early and slept well. Wrote long letter home. Had tent crowded out at night.
See 25 February. ↩
Possibly a reference to the second battle of Kut. See also 20 February. ↩
26 February 1917; Monday
Up at usual time. Medicine† tent squared out. Fine day. Lots of rumours about the future. Wrote letter to Charlie.
25 February 1917; Sunday
Busy all day. M O called round twice and rumour of the evacuation of Serre1. All sorts of news going round all day. Went to service at night at the Y M C A.
Serre (C): Michelin square I7, about halfway between Gommecourt (A) and Thiepval (B) and 12km E of Acheux-en-Amiénois (D). This was evacuation by the Germans. See the Capture of Serre at The Accrington Pals and Serre at World War One battlefields. ↩
24 February 1917; Saturday
Up at usual time. Kept pretty busy. Usual day’s work.