Tag Archives: Cambrai

21 November 1918; Thursday

Up at 5 o’clock. Old John got breakfast for me and we got a car. Left Cambrai shortly before 8 o’clock. Arrived at Boulogne1 at about 9 o’clock at night and went to a rest camp. Had dinner and slept 14 in a tent.

Left unit on leave.


  1. The map shows this stage of ALL’s journey to home leave, from Cagnoncles (A), via Cambrai (B) to Boulogne (C). 

18 October 1918; Friday

Up about 6 o’clock. Breakfast 6.30. Packed up and moved at 9 o’clock. Arrived at Rieux1 about 1 o’clock. Opened up hospital after dinner and slept in cellar under hospital. Heard that Ostend & Bruges had been taken and that Lille is encircled.


  1. Rieux: Rieux-en-Cambrésis (B), 13km ENE. of Proville (A); Michelin square M6. 

13 October 1918; Sunday

Up at about 7 o’clock. Heard that we were to move again and moved off about 11 o’clock. Arrived on the etcetera1 of Cambrai near Proville2 before dinner and took over billet with an organ in it. Billy Truman and I were moved over to the hospital in the afternoon and slept there at night. Spent afternoon preparing hospital.


  1. This shorthand outline is exactly as ALL writes “etcetera” elsewhere; he must surely have intended “outskirts”, or a similar word. 

  2. Proville (B): SW. suburb of Cambrai, about 4km from centre and 4km E. of Fontaine-Notre-Dame (A).