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.
Tag Archives: Letters
29 June 1917; Friday
Up at 7 o’clock. One bomb dropped in the night. Not far away. Off in the afternoon. Received letter from Charlie. Called at photo shop, but they weren’t ready. Received new patient, a captain of the 19th Division. Grand day. Learned some French at night. Billy Powell’s leave came through.
28 June 1917; Thursday
German aeroplanes dropped 5 bombs on aerodrome about 3 o’clock. Up at 7 o’clock. Felt pretty tired all day. Not much to do. My afternoon on. Wrote long letter home and enclosed photo group. Heard of another air raid on London1. Had walk round the town with Driver and learned bit French. Played chess with Driver until 10.30.
“Another air raid on London”: Possibly the raid of 13 June 1917, during which 13 Gothas bombed London and killed 162 civilians, the highest death toll of any air raid during the war. ↩
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.
25 June 1917; Monday
Up at 7 o’clock. Rather late with our work first thing. Out in the afternoon. Lieutenant Gunning and Captain Russell went to C C S. Wrote letter to Ernie. Not much doing at night. Read little satire ‘Pig on Artemis.”1 Freddy Holmes drunk and Dai Davies drunk last thing.
[2 – 3 lines scarcely visible: “…. orderlies ….off a waggon ….. and we had him in …. time. He appeared a bit shaken.”]
German aeroplanes dropped 8 bombs near the aerodrome at about midnight and put the wind up us. The big gun also shelled the rail head.
“Pig on Artemis” may have been an item in a magazine such as Everyman. See also Everyman and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩
19 June 1917; Tuesday
Up at about 6.45. Kept pretty busy all day. Captain Johnson paraded us and told us that we must keep our wards clean and tidy. Off at night. Went to the pictures at the Y M. They were vile. Commenced letter to Charlie. Received new clothing from headquarters – a pair of trousers for me.
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.
15 June 1917; Friday
Up at 6.30. Kept busy all day. Received letters from home.
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. ↩
4 June 1917; Monday
[Very faint and smudged]
Up at 6.15 o’clock again. Busy all day. My turn on at night. Went to the Y M in the afternoon and wrote a long letter to Ernie. Fine night.