Tag Archives: Concert

Arthur Linfoot regularly records his attendance at concert parties throughout his service in France. These appear to have been a mixture of planned concert parties and impromptu events.

25 December 1917; Tuesday

December 1917, , , , ,

Up at about 7.30 after rather restless night with the cold. Paraded at 9 o’clock and did a small fatigue job. Cleaned canteen and wrote up diary. Two dining sessions and I went into the second one at 1.15. Very good spread. Menu and all the rest of it. C O and officers came in and made usual speech. Room very nicely decorated. Concert at 3.30. Steve Bott and John Dory pretty good and the others pretty awful. Corporal Chapman and Cotter about the worst singers. Went to A section billet to hear the R F’s1 band. Returned about 9 o’clock and went to bed.

Received letter from home saying that they had heard from Charlie dated 18th November.

  1. R F’s: probably Royal Fusiliers ↩

24 September 1917; Monday

September 1917, , , , , , ,

Up about 7 o’clock. On fatigue for a short while and then told off to go with the American doctor to see the Divisional column sick. Ernie called for me at noon and I got the afternoon off. Went into Locre. Called at the Y M and had tea and a tune; had tea in a house and then walked in to Mont Rouge. Called in at the Follies and started back shortly after 7 o’clock. Left Ernie about 8.30 near to La Laiterie1. The longest stay yet that we have had together. Enjoyed the day immensely. On return found that Driver had come down with shell shock, and that Holman had taken his place. They had wanted me but I was out. Nick Stake† sleeping above me and drunk. He fell out of bed and spent the night on a stretcher on the floor.

  1. La Laiterie: A military cemetery begun in November 1914 and named after an old dairy farm which, perhaps, had previously occupied the site. La Laiterie (B) is located about 1km NE of Kemmel (A) on the N331 road to Ieper/Ypres. ↩

7 September 1917; Friday

September 1917, , ,

Up shortly after 7 o’clock. Parades as usual. Got inspected at 2 o’clock. Digging trench round a tent all morning. Went to Reninghelst at night and saw Ernie. We walked into the village and went to the Snipers1. They were very poor. Left shortly before 8 o’clock and returned about 9. Met a sergeant on the way who spoke of a very big attack * on the coast.

  1. The Snipers: Another revue? ↩

23 August 1917; Thursday

August 1917, , ,

Up about 7 o’clock. No parade in the morning on account of rain. Short route march in the afternoon and at the Follies at night. Did bit French and got some copies of Great Thoughts1 from the new chap and gave him Everyman2.

  1. “Great Thoughts”: Possibly a magazine or periodical, although we have been unable to locate a copy. ↩

  2. “Everyman”: Also a magazine or periodical. See Everyman, all posts tagged “Everyman” and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩

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.

15 August 1917; Wednesday

August 1917, , ,

Up at 7 o’clock. Rained heavily all morning and nothing done. Wrote to Ranald MacDonald and a letter home.

The Number 9s1 gave a concert in a little hut near the village. Pretty good and a good audience of the mayor, brigadier and all sorts.

  1. The Number 9s (assuming as always that the transcription is correct) were presumably a Forces concert party (and if so, presumably based on some medical unit). ↩