Had good night’s rest. A lot of rain and the ground bad. Up about 8 o’clock. Not much to do all day. Had long discussion at night with Harvey. Commenced letter home in reply to one received.
Tag Archives: Letters
25 September 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Went down to the Divisional train to see the sick with the American officer. Told off for night duty with Bromley for tonight. Glorious day. Received letter from home telling me that Mr Aitken has died1. Warned for night but brought off it again at 7.30 and warned for stretcher bearing tomorrow.
Slept in the back part of the dispensary.
Mr Aitken had been ALL’s boss at the Hendon Paper Mill. ALL also added a retrospective note of Mr Aitken’s death to his diary on 20 September, the day it had actually happened. ↩
11 September 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Marched off at 8. Lee reported sick and was sent down the line with trouble in the bowels. Lee.
Did usual day’s work and finished about 4.15. Wrote letter at night.
6 September 1917; Thursday
Up at 7 o’clock as usual. Picking hops all day. Warm day. Wrote letter home. Went to see Ernie at night with Holman. Went to find the battalion of his brother. Heavy rain but we escaped it. Ernie supposed to be in bed as he ran a temperature in the morning.
27 August 1917; Monday
Up at 7 o’clock. Wet day. Drilled in the morning. Nothing doing in the afternoon and I looked up some French, and also wrote a few letters. The transport left for the line somewhere. Stayed in at night. Rather drizzly and very wet. Billy Truman not well.
20 August 1917; Monday
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.
19 August 1917; Sunday
Up at 7 o’clock. Church parade 9 o’clock. Poor service though it looked very smart. The infantry were in battle order. Wrote letter home in the afternoon. Went to service at night with John Dory and had short walk afterwards. Pretty good service and the singing very good for a small party.
17 August 1917; Friday
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
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.
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). ↩
8 August 1917; Wednesday
Up about 7.15. Felt pretty rotten first thing. Kept busy all day. Wrote short letter home. Heard rumour that we were to move tomorrow.