Up at about 7 o’clock. Had walk in the morning. Opened hospital and I was detailed for night duty. Received letter from George Crawford1. Went on duty at night. Another patient in at night last thing.
George Crawford: as mentioned in 1914 – 15 diaries, an office colleague at Hendon Paper Works; a shorthand note at the end of the 1918 diary appears to say he was in the Army Veterinary Corps, at No 9 Veterinary Hospital, BEF, France. ↩
Up at 7 o’clock. Paraded with full packs at 9 o’clock. Helped Sergeant Powell with the panniers. Spent the afternoon cleaning up kit and having hair cut. Received letters from Joe, George Crawford and Metgrave. Finished letter to Leishman.
Up shortly after 6.30. On duty all day. Received long letter from Joe and one from Mother telling me that George Crawford1 had enlisted. Fine day and good news from the front.
Fire at the house at the hospital. We were out all night at it. I got a job to watch the stuff we carried out of the ward. Got to sleep about 5 o’clock.
George Crawford, of the Hendon Paper Works office, mentioned frequently in the 1914 diary (see footnote on 30 January 1914), according to an address in the 1917 diary entered the Army Veterinary Corps. See also all posts tagged “George Crawford” and George H. Crawford at Lives of the First World War. ↩
Up at 7 o’clock. Physical drill in the morning. Kept fine all day. Received letter from George Crawford and replied to it. Washed feet at night. Received orders to fall in about 7.30. Marched off about 8 o’clock. Many stops by the way and arrived at an open place near some artillery about 4 o’clock in the morning.
Most interesting though tiresome march. I was with my new squad. Bascombe, Hall, Houghton and myself. Talked with the others and found them all right to talk to.
Up shortly after 7 o’clock. Went to church parade and field service. Wrote letter to George Crawford and one to Ranald MacDonald. Counted 9 observation balloons up at night. Procession at the village church. Guns very heavy at night. Bonny calm night.
Visited Grandmother, Whittakers’1 and Jack’s. Mr Dill’s funeral in the afternoon and I went over to see it with Ernie. Met George Crawford2 who was in the procession. Climbed Ernie’s backyard wall to get in. Ernie took my photo3. Down to chapel at night and saw Mr Blott, Arthur Mullens, Billy and Edie and a few more.
“Whittakers'”: Willie Whittaker‘s family. Willie might not have been there, having enlisted in November 1915, although he was present a few days later. ↩
George Crawford: a colleague of ALL from the Hendon Paper Mill, still working there as late as the 1950s. ↩
While apparently taken in a back yard, there is no other evidence to suggest that the photograph of ALL accompanying this entry (top) is the one taken by Ernie on this day although a very similar photograph of Ernie himself (bottom) also exists in a family collection. See also Family page. ↩
Got up late. Played the piano. Called at Lily’s, George Crawford’s and the Mill1 in the afternoon. Had a fairly long talk with Aitken, who hinted that our jobs were filled. Played piano and ping pong at night. Saw Willie off at 9.30 in the morning. Saw Billy off.
“Mill”: Hendon Paper Mill, where ALL had been employed prior to joining the RAMC. See also Sunderland map. ↩
Up about 7.30. Frosty morning and we couldn’t get washed before breakfast. Busy all day with rations and town in the afternoon as usual. Scottish R.A M C got 3 hours notice to get to York. More women cooks in. Wrote to Charlie at night. Received letter from George Crawford. Spent at bit time in the Y.M. Winston Churchill resigned1.
Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty, took most of the blame for the failed Gallipoli initiative. Having been a professional soldier before entering Parliament, he later went for a time to France as a battalion commander. ↩
At work as usual. Mother not well first thing. Busy all day. Bid goodbye to the people at the office last thing. George Crawford gave me a Testament. Mother Got new purse, new glass1, new nail brush, handkerchiefs, and so on. Went to the station at night and made enquiries about the train. Willie Whittaker up. Went to bed late. Had a bath.
“Glass”, if correct, is probably “mirror”. ↩