On parade in the morning. Bath parade. Had good splash. Off in the afternoon. Wrote letter to Betty. Received one from Ranald MacDonald. Had hair cut. Went into city and straight back. Wrote up diary at soldiers’ home.
Tag Archives: Sheffield
11 April 1916; Tuesday
Field day1. Cooked our dinners2 in the field. Out from shortly after 9 o’clock until after 4 o’clock. Good day and enjoyed it.
“Field day”, now usually used metaphorically to describe a good day, is used here in its original, literal sense to mean a day spent in field activities. ↩
“Dinners” means lunches. ↩
10 April 1916; Monday
On parades as usual. Route march in the morning and full parade in the afternoon. Very tired at the end of the day. Wrote letters.
9 April 1916; Sunday
At church as usual. Read all the afternoon. At church at night and Inwoods’ afterwards. Fine day. Mr Congreve† preaching.
8 April 1916; Saturday
On parade at 9 o’clock. Dismissed for the day but cleared up things afterwards. Went to Taylors’ with Metcalfe. Had good tea and supper but poor entertainment. Played cards a bit. Mr and Mrs Taylor bored us to death.
3 April 1916; Monday
A lot of parading with the draft. Route march in the afternoon and we lay down a long time while the band played. Received orders to put in passes in the afternoon. Received them back at night. Borrowed 5/- off Bennett. Wired home. Got the 8.33. Delayed at York. Arrived about 2 o’clock at home. Watson and I travelled to Sunderland together.
Home on Final Leave.
31 March 1916; Friday
Pay parade. Old Collins told me he was going on 14 days’ leave.
30 March 1916; Thursday
Turned out at 7 o’clock parade and left it early after reporting Jackson sick. On parade at 9, 10.30 as usual and went to be medically examined at 11.30 in the orderly room. Both Captain McGlashan and another officer along with Lieutenant Johnson examined me. Got leave off route march in the afternoon and dusted. Tea brought along with Jackson. Arm pretty painful. Rumours current about final leave and Holden told me we would probably get it.
Got to know definitely that I’m on the draft.
In soldiers’ home at night. Wrote up diary.
29 March 1916; Wednesday
On 7 o’clock parade, but left it after calling roll. On parade as usual in the morning. Half day off in the afternoon and stayed in the room lay in bed all the afternoon. Up for tea and out last thing in the soldiers’ home. Our men paraded for overseas boots and I was told that I am not on the draft. Spoke to Sergeant-Major Ford and he said he would try to get me there.
28 March 1916; Tuesday
On parade as usual. Field day1 in the morning. It snowed heavily and was terribly windy and we had a rough time. Had a march round by Wharncliffe afterwards. On parade as usual in the afternoon and was very tired at the end of day. Went to Inwoods’ at night and stayed until after 10 o’clock. Sat beside the fire and talked. Mrs Inwood and the other young women were at the pictures and came in late. Mr Inwood came in last of all.
“Field day”, now usually used metaphorically to describe a good day, is used here in its original, literal sense to mean a day spent in field activities. ↩