Tag Archives: Authie

Diary entries written by Arthur Linfoot while stationed in Authie, or which mention Authie (Michelin square G7), 12km ESE of Doullens, and 18km NW of Albert; in the Somme area.

14 October 1914; Saturday

14 October 16October 1916AuthieArthur Linfoot

Up at 7.30. Rather short of rations. Had breakfast, and then just lay about and read. Harman and I went over to * * * * and got a loaf of bread and some biscuits. Talk of going over the top on this part of the line. The rats very lively at night.

13 October 1916; Friday

13 October 16October 1916Authie, Letters, Map, Sailly-au-BoisArthur Linfoot

Up at 7.30. Put on the water job and taken off again and away in the motor-car to Sailly-au-Bois¹ to a dugout. Sergeant Fraser, Harman, Truman, Axley and Moss. Cleaned up the place and had dinner and tea there. The rest very busy. I wrote a few letters and wrote up diary.

Sailly-au-Bois (A) (Michelin square H7): 7km E. of Authie (B), 14km N. of Albert. ↩

12 October 1916; Thursday

12 October 16October 1916Authie, Ernie, LettersArthur Linfoot

Up at 7.15. On fatigue in the morning picking up leaves. Had a bath at dinner-time and got a new shirt and pair of pants. Physical drill and smoke helmet drill in the afternoon. Wrote letters and diary in the evening. Captain Birrell spoke to me about a letter which <I> had written home and told me not to mention anything about journeys†¹. I got the letter back.

Received letter from Ernie, and one from Ray McRoss.

Letters home from the front would doubtless have been subject to censorship. ALL was evidently in the habit of including details of his movements in France in letters home, probably in very much the same way as he did in his diaries. Unlike in letters home, there does not appear to have been any prohibition on the use of personal diaries in this way. ↩

11 October 1916; Wednesday

11 October 16October 1916Authie, Birthday, Franchie, Gas, InwoodArthur Linfoot

On parade as usual. Fatigue in the morning and physical drill and gas helmet drill in the afternoon. Had short walk at night and read a good bit.

Franchie’s birthday.

10 October 1916; Tuesday

10 October 16October 1916AuthieArthur Linfoot

On parade as usual. Got a chap to go down to a stream and got water in a barrel in one of the horse ambulance waggons. Did it over in the afternoon. Had short walk with Holman.

9 October 1916; Monday

9 October 16October 1916AuthieArthur Linfoot

Was told off after dinner¹ to go with other three to take over a place. Went in the motor ambulance with the C.O. Couldn’t find the place and returned about 7 o’clock at night. Was not sorry.

“Dinner”, as usual, means lunch. This was an afternoon, not an evening excursion. ↩

8 October 1916; Sunday

8 October 16October 1916AuthieArthur Linfoot

Did nothing all day. Read and wrote a bit. Helped with some coals in the afternoon. Rather wet day.

7 October 1916; Saturday

7 October 16October 1916Authie, Doullens, MapArthur Linfoot

Arrived Doullen¹ at midnight. Stood about until about 2 o’clock and then marched off. It rained heavily at first. Arrived Authie² about 5.30 and after waiting some time we were billeted in a wood† in some little houses. Rained most of the day and we slept a good bit. Pretty tired after our walk.

Doullen [sic]: Actually Doullens (A above, Michelin map square G7) is 28km NW of Albert – some 22km from the N end of the Somme front. ↩
Authie (B above, Michelin square G7) is 12km ESE of Doullens, and 18km NW of Albert; back in the Somme area. ↩

The Diary of Arthur L. Linfoot

58th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.