Up about 7 o’clock. On parade and detailed off for the dispensary. Busy all day. Put up flagstaff and flag. Out for short walk at night.
The magazines came out. Bought six and sent them home, Ernie, Charlie, Marmie, Franchie and office1.
Tag Archives: Franchie
2 February 1918; Saturday
Up about 7.30. Not much to do all day. Wrote a letter to Franchie Inwood. Talked with Harvey at night. Went down to headquarters with Harvey. Other 5 lads there.
5 August 1917; Sunday
Up at about 7 o’clock. Usual day. On in the afternoon and off at night. Wrote a letter to Franchie Inwood. At the Y M at night and found the service very good.
26 June 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Not much to do and learned a bit French in the morning. Capt. Johnson left us to go to number 4 stationary hospital at York. He shook hands with us at parting. Very sorry to lose him.
The Duke of Connaught in the town presenting medals gained in the recent fighting. My turn on so I wrote home. Glorious day. Received letter from Franchie to say that she has got well again. Returned letter to Franchie. Went to Merry Mauves with Driver and they were very good.
18 June 1917; Monday
Up at 6.30. Very busy all day. Captain Johnson told me off for having an untidy ward. I received a new patient and also Freddie Holmes. Had busy night, we were short of tumblers. Got through all right. Wrote long letter to Franchie Inwood.
11 June 1917; Monday
A shell just missed us again about 6 o’clock in the morning. Were relieved at 7 o’clock. Harry Bascombe ordered down to La Clyte and Arthur Lyne to take his place. Turned in to kip1 and slept exhausted after dinner until about 6 o’clock. Had tea and shaved and washed. Received word from Franchie Inwood to say that she is in hospital and to go through an operation to have a growth removed from †her finger† this summer. Also received a letter from home. Went to bed about 9 o’clock.
“Kip”(if correct), meaning “sleep”: a word which ALL occasionally used in speech in later life, but apparently too colloquial for the diary until now. ↩
30 January 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Fed tent and cleaned up. Had some trouble with a CCS man, who had violent pains in his abdomen. Managed pretty well and finished about 6.30. Got a bit of a letter written to Franchie. Started in a new tent.
Newspapers mention slight advance on the Somme and capture of 350 prisoners.
28 January 1917; Sunday
Up as usual at 7 o’clock. Had two to look after and a lot of trouble. The DMS1 came round unexpectedly in the afternoon and told me off about some dirt outside one of the tents. Said I was incompetent and must be taken off the job. Sergeant Powell told me afterwards it was too rotten. We laughed over it at night. Received postcard from Mrs Inwood to say that Franchie was in an isolation hospital asking me to write.
DMS: Director of Medical Services. ↩
15 January 1917; Monday
Up at 7 as usual. On water duty in the morning, and cut down a sapling in the afternoon. Commenced to write a letter to Franchie.
11 October 1916; Wednesday
On parade as usual. Fatigue in the morning and physical drill and gas helmet drill in the afternoon. Had short walk at night and read a good bit.
Franchie’s birthday.