Tag Archives: Beauval

Arthur Linfoot passed through Beauval briefly in late November 1916 and subsequently helped to set up and operate a temporary hospital there in early December before moving on to a Camp Reception Station at an unspecified location on 13th December.

13 December 1916; Wednesday

Up about 7 o’clock. On duty 7.30. Cleared all patients for the hospital and packed up. Called down to the C R S 1 shortly after dinner. Billeted in tents. Heard Holman and Truman taken up the town and put on a big double marquee with 27 patients. Got to bed after a search for my blankets. Rain came in through the tents and awoke rather wet. Received letter from Father telling me of accident to Marmie and Dorothy through the oven bursting.


  1. “C R S”: Camp Reception Station. See RAMC Chain of Evacuation

12 December 1916; Tuesday

Billy Truman brought me breakfast and I lay in for a short time. Not bad * and my arm prick† all right. Worked all day as usual.

Bethmann Hollweg1 made speech in the Reichstag.


  1. Bethmann Hollweg was the German Imperial Chancellor. One of the problems by this stage was that the German generals were increasingly taking charge of policy, while the relationship of the Kaiser, though nominally possessing autocratic power, with his appointed ministers was becoming increasingly ambiguous. 

6 December 1916; Wednesday

Up about 7 o’clock. Drew rations from billet. Packed kit and marched off at 9.45. Arrived at Beaval1 about midday. Had some coffee and was called away to help to set up a hospital. Worked until after tea. Slept in the barn. Had potato chips at the hospital for supper2.


  1. Marched from Hem-Hardinval (A) to Beauval (B). 

  2. “Potato chips”: Probably something more akin to French fries than to crisps. See note on 30 June 1915

25 November 1916; Saturday

Up at 7 o’clock and went on guard for an hour. Had breakfast in ambulance waggon. Marched off at about 11.30. I was brake man on a G.S. waggon but had my pack carried for me. Arrived at Canaples1 at about 2.30. Billeted in an old château. Right upstairs in the loft. Rained heavily in the night. Got good night’s sleep.


  1. Canaples (A): 10km SW. of Beauval (B), 14km SSW. of Doullens; Michelin square F7. 

24 November 1916; Friday

Up at 6 o’clock. Marched off 7.30. Marched about 15 miles. Rain †fell in our journey† but only slightly. Arrived at Beaval1 about 3 o’clock. Rested for an hour and had tea on the roadside. Very hilly march. Marched fast and had few rests. Billeted in a decent place. I was to be on guard and did from 7 to 11 o’clock. Got into bed about 11.30. Received parcel from home.


  1. Beaval: probably Beauval (A), on the N25, 5km S. of Doullens, some 17km from Warloy-Baillon (B) as the crow flies; Michelin square F7/G7.