Tag Archives: RAMC

26 July 1915; Monday

At work as usual. Decided to go in the R.A.M.C. Met Tommy in the morning going to the recruiting office to join the R.G.A1. I went down at night. Waited from 7.30 until 9.45. Waiting for over an hour for Major Burn to swear us in. Met Uncle Jack outside and he waited for me. Went down to Grandmother’s and bid her, Aunt Esther, Mrs Whittaker and Lily goodbye.

Sworn in at the Recruiting Office. Received 1/112. 11 of us sworn in, including Willie Reed. Went to bed late.


  1. “R.G.A.”: Royal Garrison Artillery

  2. One shilling and elevenpence – about 9.5p – roughly equivalent to £9.50 in 2015. 

24 July 1915; Saturday

Work as usual. Busy all morning. Finished about 2 o’clock. Went into the town and met Tom and Willie. Willie can’t join. Tom and I went into the recruiting office, and decided to do something on Monday night. Tom not very keen. I decided to join either R.A.M.C. or Royal Anglesey Engineers1. Had walk in town at night with Willie and Charlie, and finished off at Grindon2.


  1. “Royal Anglesey Engineers”: apparently there actually was a territorial Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers (sic), though why ALL should have thought of joining it is quite unclear. 

  2. Grindon: a suburb of Sunderland, approximately three miles to the west of the city centre along Chester Road. 

31 May 1915; Monday

At work as usual. Pretty busy all day. Finished in decent time. Played and read a bit. Went to Newcastle with Dora’s Charlie and after walking about all the night found the recruiting office and that they were not open for R.A.M.C. Came home about 10 o’clock at night. News received in town about the heavy loss to the 7th Durhams.

Air Raid on London1. 4 people killed, but nothing very serious reported.


  1. This was the first air raid of the war to target London. Zeppelin LZ-32 flew about 400 miles to reach the English capital. Stoke Newington was the first place to suffer the attack. 

5 October 1914; Monday

A bit more work to do. Got up early and drilled first thing. Went to the Mission at night and didn’t like it. News of a slight repulse to the British advance on the Continent. 3 of the mill lads joined the Royal Army Medical Corps. Mother went to see about Fruit business for sale1 in Dundas Street.

Germans cross the Nethe & occupy Lierre & Duppel. Belgian Army retire to the West.


  1. As already noted on 13 February, the family planned to run a corner shop because Father had no wage since his accident.