Tag Archives: Charlie

Charlie was Arthur Linfoot’s younger brother. See the Family page for more details.

22 February 1915; Monday

22 February 15February 1915Charlie, Dardanelles, Father, War, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work as usual. Busy all day. Busy in house at night. Charlie brought message that Father and I have to go to Heath’s tomorrow and see about compensation business.

Dardanelles¹ Outer Forts bombarded by British & French fleet.

The Dardanelles operation is probably too well known to need much explanation, but – there was disagreement throughout: whether any resources for it should be diverted from the Western Front; whether it was even possible to open the Dardanelles solely with naval action (this diary entry records the attempt to do so); whether, if that failed (which it did), troops should be sent in: they were, and that was a prolonged and very expensive failure, too. ↩

14 February 1915; Sunday

14 February 15February 1915Chapel, Charlie, JoeArthur Linfoot

Too late for chapel or Sunday School. Had walk with Charlie round to the Grindon Road in the afternoon. Went down to chapel at night. Mr Riddell preaching and Harry Potts and Mrs Potts, with Joe Barnes and Ann Banks singing. Billy Peake and his Mrs followed us up.

31 January 1915; Sunday

31 January 15January 1915Chapel, Charlie, Mullens, Naval warfareArthur Linfoot

At chapel and class as usual. Had Ron Haynes’ class and mine and had some trouble. Mr Mullens on the desk as Dick is unwell. Reverend Arthur Strother preached and was very slow in his delivery. Willie Blaikie went round with us at night. Charlie sang a piece from “St Paul”. There was some trouble about his book and some misunderstanding. The German submarines sunk some British ships in the Irish Sea¹.

On 30 January 1915, U-21, the first U-boat in the Irish sea, captured Ben Cruachan (a collier) and two other ships. Ben Cruachan was scuttled some 15 miles north-west of Morecambe Light House using explosive charges set by U-21 crew. See World War 1 at Sea – Royal Navy Vessels Lost and Damaged at Naval-History.net ↩

30 January 1915; Saturday

30 January 15January 1915Charlie, Music, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work as usual¹. Finished shortly before 2 o’clock. Went round with Charlie and called at Whittakers in the afternoon and arranged to go to the King’s Theatre directly†. Went to the King’s Theatre and heard “Il Trovatore”. It was very good though I didn’t like it so well as Wednesday night’s piece².

Saturday morning working was of course normal – as it remained until the 1960s. ↩
Wednesday night’s piece: See 27 January. ↩

28 January 1915; Thursday

28 January 15January 1915Chapel, Charlie, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work as usual. Went down to the chapel at night to the General Church Meeting. The speakers were Reverend John Moore†, Dr Baker and another chap. We were very late. Charlie sang “Lord God of Abram”. Refreshments served out. Spent the whole night there.

25 January 1915; Monday

25 January 15January 1915Charlie, Father, Recruitment, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work and very busy. Charlie called and we went up to the recruiting office. Charlie was refused on account of his finger being off¹. We called at the other office and he was refused there. A man from the County Court left a paper to the effect that Father’s Compensation Case would come on Feb 17/15. Two men hurt at work.

“His finger being off”: see also 13 Dec. 1914 “on account of his finger”; but I (DL) don’t recall that Charlie had a finger missing. Charlie’s rejection was not permanent: on 9 August ALL records that “Charlie may enlist shortly”, and by mid-September he had been posted to the Dardanelles. ↩

23 January 1915; Saturday

23 January 15January 1915Charlie, Recruitment, Shop, Willie Whittaker, WorkArthur Linfoot

Finished rather late at work. Walked round the town with our Charlie and met Dora’s Charlie in town. Came home with him and talked about enlisting. Walked out with Willie Whittaker at night and went up to the top of Chester Road. Looked in the free shop we are interested in and there was very little trade doing. At Trinity¹ lecture on the emotions and enjoyed it.

Trinity: See 10 January 1914. ↩

20 January 1915; Wednesday

20 January 15January 1915Blaikie, Charlie, Music, Recruitment, Sunderland, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work as usual. Finished in good time. Hurried to the station and went to Boldon to the Northumberland Fusiliers Concert. Had pretty good time. The Misses Mackenzie, Misses Banks, Mr Davis and Charlie and Blaikie there. Spoke a long time to one to the soldiers. Very much interested in the camp of the soldiers. They were very well mannered and in good spirits.

16 January 1915; Saturday

16 January 15January 1915Blaikie, Charlie, Joe, Music, Willie Whittaker, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work as usual. Went up to the Ford Estate with Joe, and watched them drilling a short time. Met Blaikie on the way back and talked a short time. Called at the Echo office but no replies. Read and played a bit. Called for Willie Whittaker. Went to the Memorial Hall¹. Mr Newrick’s choir there and Willie Whittaker and I were in the audience. Charlie on the platform. Willie got toothache.

Memorial Hall: See 10 January 1914. ↩

13 January 1915; Wednesday

13 January 15January 1915Charlie, Father, Recruitment, WorkArthur Linfoot

At work as usual. Fathers advert appeared in Echo. Finished rather late. Went down to drill but the key was missing and we got no drill. Went round with Charlie and talked over joining the A.S.C.¹

The “A.S.C.”: the Army Service Corps (later the Royal Army Service Corps), which provided a wide range of support, such as clerical services and transport, to infantry and other branches of the Army. ↩

The Diary of Arthur L. Linfoot

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