Had breakfasts at 7 o’clock. Welsh Party left at about 7.30. Charlie came in the afternoon. Had photos taken1 and then spent most of the night at Inwoods’ singing and playing. Stayed until late & Charlie was locked out of S. [Soldiers’] Home & had to sleep in Guard Room.
The photo accompanying this diary entry is a postcard, posted on 7 September 1915 to ALL’s mother, with a message saying he was now a lance-corporal. It may be one of those taken on 4th September. ↩
On parade as usual. Had walk with Dunn, Hoare and Moil. Received letter from Charlie making arrangements for Saturday. A rumour going round about going to Wales shortly.
Drilled all day. Went to Mr Inwood’s at night with Dunn. I played the piano. Miss Inwood sang some songs and we were still getting on with the Concones1 when some other soldiers came and we played other things. Got to know I was to be on guard tomorrow.
At Inwoods’2 with Dunn.
“Concones”: widely-used singing exercises by the Italian composer and teacher, Giuseppe Concone; used by Charlie with ALL at home. ↩
See page: Church – Who were they? ↩
Up at 5.30. Drill and lectures as usual. Received letter from Charlie in the morning, and also books from Ernie at dinner-time.
News of a German Destroyer being sunk by French torpedo boats.
Had drill after dinner. Had to wash out rooms first thing and only paraded at 7 and 10. Inspected by General of Northern Command in the morning. Out with Dunn, Moil and another chap at night. Visited the reading room at the Wesleyan chapel. Miss Inwood walked in and spoke for a minute. Received postcard from Charlie saying he would try to get across to see me.
[Written at foot of previous day’s page - ] Monday. Received news of the battle in the Baltic1. The Molke [sic] sunk by a British submarine and 2 or 3 cruisers and 8 German destroyers destroyed or damaged by the Russians, who lost one ship.
The Battle of the Gulf of Riga was a major engagement between the German High Seas Fleet and the Russian Baltic Fleet, but British vessels were involved. The Moltke was indeed torpedoed on 19 August by the British submarine E1, but did not sink, was repaired in Hamburg, and survived Jutland and other engagements, to be scuttled at Scapa Flow at the end of the War. Moltke had previously been involved in several other incidents noted in the diaries, including the Battle of Heligoland Bight, the Raid on Yarmouth, the Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby and the Battle of Dogger Bank. ↩
Rain nearly all day. Didn’t get much drill. Had 5 lectures. Went to the chapel recreation room at night, and met the parson’s son who asked us up. Had supper with other two soldiers, and played a game. Received letter from home saying Charlie may enlist shortly.
Got up about 7 o’clock. Got dressed and had a run over Charlie’s latest songs. Father, Charlie, Marmie and Uncle Jack saw me off. Left by 9.35, changed at Durham and Rotherham. Between Durham and Rotherham there were two men with a deserter in the compartment. Some trouble at York with a dog in the carriage. Arrived shortly before 2 o’clock. Went into the town and had dinner, then went on car to find the barracks. Forgot parcel at the café. Got to the Territorial place first. Arrived shortly1 before tea. Other two recruits with me. A Scotsman and a Sunderland lad called Williams. Had a shave and simple tea in the barracks, and went into town at night with Williams. Got bedding and room.
Unless “shortly” should be “Sheffield”, which it really doesn’t look like, ALL seems to have forgotten to mention that it was Sheffield (the Hillsborough Barracks) that he had gone to.
Hillsborough Barracks was converted for commercial use in the late 1980s, but many external features were retained. The main focus of the development is a Morrisson’s supermarket. See also Sheffield map. ↩
Work as usual. Busy all morning. Finished about 2 o’clock. Went into the town and met Tom and Willie. Willie can’t join. Tom and I went into the recruiting office, and decided to do something on Monday night. Tom not very keen. I decided to join either R.A.M.C. or Royal Anglesey Engineers1. Had walk in town at night with Willie and Charlie, and finished off at Grindon2.
“Royal Anglesey Engineers”: apparently there actually was a territorial Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers (sic), though why ALL should have thought of joining it is quite unclear. ↩
Grindon: a suburb of Sunderland, approximately three miles to the west of the city centre along Chester Road. ↩
At work as usual. Baths in the morning and had good time. Got up about 6 o’clock. Busy all day. Finished late, about 6.15. Charlie working and I went to see two Sunday School boys. Read a bit and played.
At work as usual. Busy all day. Had walk at night into town after playing the piano and Charlie singing.