Tag Archives: Charlie

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

3 November 1917; Saturday

Abridged, November 1917, , , , ,

Up about 7 o’clock. On fatigue all day [“morning” written above, but “day” not erased]. Got pass to go and see Ernie in the afternoon. Walked to Dikbush and when I found the place he wasn’t there. Got tea with them and left about 5 o’clock, after speaking on the telephone to Ernie. Walked back by La Clytte and called in to Y M C A. Got back about 8 and wrote to Charlie but didn’t get letter finished. Warned for working party in the morning.

20 August 1917; Monday

August 1917, , ,

Up at 7 o’clock. Paraded at 9 with our pals and went off to the Divisional sports. Went on the main road to Boulogne to a village called Lumbrubert1 and in a field near the sports were held. Everything laid out nicely. The medicals won the relay race and the * race and we were second in the high jump and the tug of war. Some very good sport. The Chesters top by one point, 26 and the medicals next 25. Fine day. Divisional band in attendance. Left about 7 o’clock and got back about 9. Walked most of the way there and rode most of the way back. Knocked about with Ben Jenkins and Billy Truman and that lot. Received letter from home telling me that Charlie had a gathered thumb and had burned his foot.

Divisional sports.

  1. Lumbrubert: not identified on the Michelin map; there is a Brunembert (B) just S. of the N42 Boulogne road, 11km W. of Nielles-les-Bléquin (A), so within walking distance; Michelin map square D3. ↩

17 August 1917; Friday

August 1917, , , ,

Up at 7 o’clock. Glorious day. Squad drill first thing, then kit inspection by new officer. Went down to the lower part of the stream but the water was too shallow for swimming. After dinner bath parade and a clean change by the stream at the old place. Went to the Follies at night with John Dory. They were very good and much better than before. Received letter from Charlie and one from home and wrote long letter home.

29 June 1917; Friday

June 1917, ,

Up at 7 o’clock. One bomb dropped in the night. Not far away. Off in the afternoon. Received letter from Charlie. Called at photo shop, but they weren’t ready. Received new patient, a captain of the 19th Division. Grand day. Learned some French at night. Billy Powell’s leave came through.

6 June 1917; Wednesday

June 1917, , , ,

Up at usual time. Grand day. Received orders quite suddenly to go back to headquarters. Went into town and bought a towel, a soap box and some other things. Charlie’s birthday.

Returned from town and found that I had to pack at once. Hurried to La Clytte in a car. Everything ready for the push. Big guns in the valley firing. Marquees† up and all ready. Fritz1 shelled La Clytte regularly for the last few nights. Had a bit rest and then marched up the line with our stretchers and everything. I picked a wheeled stretcher. No shelling as we came up but signs of recent shelling and dead horses. Arrived at Ridge Wood and the brasserie about 11 o’clock. Got down2 in the brasserie but had to go out again into the little R E signals dugout.

  1. Fritz: a name given to German troops by the British and others in the First and Second World Wars. ↩

  2. “Got down” meaning “lay down to sleep”. ↩

5 May 1917; Saturday

May 1917, , , ,

Up at 5.30. A lot of trouble during the night between old Wilson and Merrill. Finished about 7.30. Had breakfast and turned in. Slept until tea time. Went to concert at night in the dining room. Steve Bott, John Dory, Sergeant Cooper and several others including the C.O. and Captain Andrews took part. Gus played and played very well. Pretty busy at night with the officers. Got through all right. Wrote letter to Charlie.

28 February 1917; Wednesday

Abridged, February 1917, , , , , , , , ,

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.

  1. “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. ↩

  2. 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. ↩

  3. Possibly a reference to the second battle of Kut. See also yesterday and 20 February. ↩