Archie Wills diary volume 6, November 1917 - January 1919

Description:

Item is the sixth of eight diaries written by Archie Wills during World War I. This volume contains entries from January 1st, 1918 to January 4th, 1919 and describes Wills' experiences on the battlefield in France, in Bethune, Bracqueumort, Arras, Amiens, Etaples, and Vimy Ridge, and finally in Belgium. Entries dated November 15th to December 30th, 1917 are also included at the end of the diary. The diary describes daily routines and living conditions on the battlefield, illustrating the hardship and brutality of war in the trenches, and includes accounts of extreme weather, inadequate rations, sleep deprivation, shell shock, gas attacks, incendiary shells, fire exchanges, hauling ammunition, attacks on airplanes and observation balloons, and the building of shelters. Wills also describes the impact of the Spanish Influenza on the soldiers and his own illness on June 27th, 1918. Highlights include Wills' accounts of going on leave to Paris and Scotland; working on the O-Pip; his commission as sergeant; and hearing about the proclamation of armistice.

Subjects:

World War, 1914-1918; Wills, Archie

Date:

1917-1919

Title-Alternative:

Volume 6: my life in the army by Archie H. Wills. Jan. 1 - Dec. 31 1918 [sic], Last Hundred Days Armistice at Mons.

Location(s):

France--Bethune; France--Bracqueumort; France--Arras; France--Amiens; France--Etaples; France--Vimy Ridge; Belgium

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_001

Transcript:

[start page] Volume 6. My Life in the Army France...Jan.1, 1918 to Dec.31. Last Hundred Days. Armistice at Mons. 3.14 2005-036 [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_002

Transcript:

[start page] To 'Fay'[?] (Archie) from Kellogg Xmas 1917 In memory of happy days. in July + Aug 1916 [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_003

Transcript:

[start page] Name MRS F.H. Wills Address 1002 Caledonia Ave VICTORIA, B.C., CANADA In the event of this Diary being lost, kindly return to above address DIARY AND NOTEBOOK MCMXVIII [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_004

Transcript:

[start page] CALENDAR, 1918. [end page] [start page] Advertisment [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_005

Transcript:

[start page] FOR two years following the Declaration of War, Charles Letts's Diaries were published at pre-War prices, but costs of manufacture so increased that it was found necessary to revise and, in many cases, increase the selling prices of Diaries for the year 1917. It was greatly hoped by the Publishers that no further increase would be necessary, but, unfortunately, the price of Paper, Leather, Cloth and other materials has continued to rise to such an extent that, very reluctantly, after again carefully revising the cost of each edition, the Publishers have found it necessary in certain instances to again advance the selling price. It was felt that the Public generally would prefer a small increase in price rather than any falling off in Quality, and the total increase is still far below the increased ratio cost (paper alone is now more than 100% above the pre-War standard), and certainly far below the increased cost of many other articles of daily use. Our Readers may rely on prices reverting to those of pre-War days as soon as the present high cost of materials approximate the normal figure. [end page] [start page] ECLIPSES BANK HOLIDAYS. HOLIDAYS AT PUBLIC OFFICES. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_006

Transcript:

[start page] Eclipses January 1918-April 1918 *Average of 77 years (1840-1916). The heavy ruled line indicates the duration of the Law Sittings. [end page] [start page] Eclipses May 1918-August 1918 [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_007

Transcript:

[star page] Eclipses September 1918-December 1918 [end page] [start page] SUN, 1918. Times of Rising and Setting for the meridian of Greenwich. January-December [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_008

Transcript:

[start page] DAILY WANTS' DICTIONARY. Corrected to the time of going to press. [end page] [start page] Daily Wants' Dictionary (continued) [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_009

Transcript:

[start page] Daily Wants' Dictionary (continued) [end page] [start page] Personal Memoranda. Train Service. Watch No. To Town. From Town. Season Ticket No. Telephone No. Motor Car No. Motor Licence No. Bank Pass Book No. Telegraphic Address. Size in Gloves. Size in Boots. Size in Collars. Size in Hats. Weight 11 st. 4 lbs Date 8/11/17. Height 5 ft. 8 1/2 ins. Date 8/11/17. Name and Address ARCHIE H. WILLS 1002 CALEDONIA AVE.. VICTORIA, B.C. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_010

Transcript:

[start page] 17 TELEPHONE NUMBERS NAME. TELEPHONE. [illegible] [end page] [start page] ADDRESSES. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_011

Transcript:

[start page] 19 MEMORANDA. [end page] [start page] MEMORANDA. Dec 31st. Weather cold. Laid in all day. Nothing doing at all; plenty of air activity. This is new year's Eve so we went down to Marie's estaminet and had a bit of fun. She's some baby. Jan Had bad back after changing guns two nights previous. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_012

Transcript:

[start page] 21 MEMORANDA. [end page] [start page] MEMORANDA. The Astronomical and other Notes throughout the Diary refer to Great Britain; the times of the Moon's Phases, Sun Rising and Setting and other Astronomical data are given in Greenwich Mean Time and for the Meridian of Greenwich and during the operation of the Daylight Saving Bill the times given must be altered accordingly [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_013

Transcript:

[start page] 23 JANUARY 1st Month 1918 1 TUESDAY [I-364] Circumcision. Stock Exchange closed. She came in with a bang sure enough. Fritz got gay on out front and shot over a lot of T.M. and of course our boys came back and there was a real roar up the line. Spent the day in bed and went out for awhile in the evening we haven't been paid for so long we are all broke. Tonight there was another roar up the line and the sky was illuminated. Fritz is getting gay but when the SOS. comes our boys are right there. Some gas came over and course we give and take. There's a bit of wind up all along. Sargeants having 30 francs supper. Drank so much champagne it cost them double that [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 2 WEDNESDAY [2-363] Was up and about today. It was a bit warmer and the sap is of a thaw. We do not have so much to do in these lines but the old mokes must be looked after. Few [1 word] have to go up the line. We were down to the Y tonight and while there Fritz started another show which we finished for him. He made quite a bold air raid the other night and dropped bombs quite handy. Our planes went over again and bombed his lines. Our battery is smartening up. We have to spit and shine for 9 o'clock Parade. I say that we are getting slack. Ritchie has gone to base and Bill Leonard has made Blighty. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_014

Transcript:

[start page] 25 JANUARY 1st Month 1918 3 THURSDAY [3-362] Had to begin again Back bad. Was up late in the day and in evening went down to maries estaminet and had a whale of a time. The gun limbers were ordered up the line at a minute's notice and we thought there was a bad strafe on and we had to pull out. On arriving at B. found that there was mistake in order and only one limber was wanted. Canadian mail at last arrived. Weather very cold. Roads very slippery. Horse unable to stand up. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 4 FRIDAY [4-361] Weather very cold. Makes you shiver to get up. The inside of the tin is all white with frost. There was a bath parade this morning and we no sooner got under the tap and put some soap on than we had to get out as the water was shut off. Some bath. It was as cold as sin and sin in this country is pretty bad. Planning sub-section feed ~~tonight~~ tomorrow night Dipped[?] our horses as they are getting boney like ourselves. We're the grit and shine boys these days. You should see us on parade. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_015

Transcript:

[start page] 27 JANUARY 1st Month 1918 5 SATURDAY [5-360] Dividends due. (Last Quarter, 11.50 am. Weather cold. Nothing doing. Had sub-section fall at 6 o'clock. Started with soup, then roast pork, apple sauce, potatoes, beans, carrots, then roast chicken, a quarter each some more vegetables, fruit, biscuits, etc. At 10 p.m. we were turned out of the estiminet and came back hardly able to move. Had half holiday [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 6 SUNDAY [6-359] Epiphany. Up as usual. Weather cold. There was a church parade for five men per sub. The remainder went to stable to clean harness. Its cold work. Did duty section this afternoon [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_016

Transcript:

[start page] 29 JANUARY 1st Month 1918 7 MONDAY [7-358] Plough Monday It looks like a change in weather. A thaw has set in and it rained this afternoon. Cleaning harness all day. Nothing startling. Went down to see Marie tonight and kidded her along John Helmcken back off Blighty leave. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 8 TUESDAY [8-357] Weather cold. Heavy snow. A decided change in the weather. It snowed all day and at noon there was a regular blizzard. The roads are in bad shape. We are having plenty of argument these days. Plenty of love stuff with Soule and Barn enlightens us on his days as a capitalist. Now he goes into a banker game with a 'apenny and went he makes 3d[?] departs and says he has enough for a drink. We are opening a canteen in a few days. Cleaning harness all day. Concert by 'Ramblen'[?] at Y.M.C.A. tonight. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_017

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 9 WENESDAY [9-356] Christmas Fire Insurance ceases. Coldest night in France. Must have been down to zero. The inside of the hut was like a refrigerator. The galvanized iron was coated with frost. It did look grand but when we climbed out of our blankets to dress it was a son-of a-gun. We cleaned harness all day in prep action for the inspection. At noon today a blizzard visited us and it was a hard job beating against it. Went to the YM tonight to hear Capt.Cameron. Have quite a job getting firewood and we needs lots of it to keep warm. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 10 THURSDAY [10-355] If not already done, send in Accident registration form. Weather very cold. Big inspection of harness and horses this morning. A. sub was complimented many times We took the palm this trip. The steel was like silver. We ~~pulled up all~~ covered up all the windows so as to make things dark so the steel showed up fine. Nothing starting today took out exercise ride Today the poker friends tried to break Barn, but he played a safe game only going in when he had a pair and came out with all their coin. Stayed in to write tonight [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_018

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 11 FRIDAY [11-354] Hilary Law Sittings begin. Raining. Weather change. Snow desappearing. Plenty of mud. This morning we had a route march, with a Kilted band leading. They suddenly discovered that we need training and straightening up at the wagon lines or else they want to get us into shape to hit the roads when we retire. Went to Bethune this afternoon. Made the trip in 3 1/2 hours. Met Fred Cearne. Bought football. Had another chicken dinner 6 francs, at the hotel here. It was More Xmas mail tonight [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 12 SATURDAY [12-353] New Moon, 10.30 p.m. Weather mild. Had a bath this morning, of course I didn't need it. This afternoon came up the guns. Percy and I were held up on the road as Frity was shelling. When going through Col-e an incendiary shell landed close and sent up a big glare. Was bursting shrapnel all over Le. but we got through alright. Brigade caught it badly. Turned in early and had a good sleep 30 feet below the surface and let Heinie carry on with his noise. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_019

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1ST Month 1918 13 SUNDAY [13-352] 1st after Epiphany. Weather cool. Reveille at 6.15 am. as some general is to give us the once over but he never came. Got several stand to and went after a working party on a concrete horse and pasted them all day. This afternoon put a shot in amongst the party and only one fellow was on his feet when the smoke cleared away and he was using them to good advantage. Tonight a battery over the line got gay and strafed our lines so we said [illegible] and dropped him a lot of gas and shut him up tight. Ammunitions tonight. Good war today [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 14 MONDAY [14-351] Weather changed. Heavy snow. Heaps of drifts about. Looked like a chance to stand down for a day but some of Fritz's T.M. got active so we had to paste him with a few rounds. Hauled ammunition this afternoon and had a stand to at 10.45 pm to put up a barrage behind our infantry when they were returning from a raid. They got a couple of machine guns and some prisoners. Pretty cold in the pits. Good raid last night. Canadian took some prisoners and had no casualties. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_020

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st MONTH 1918 Frity quiet 15 TUESDAY [15-350] Weather wet. The place is a sea of mud. Our boots became clogged and weigh nigh a ton. We forgot to get up till late and of course were bawled out. Our gun pit leaks like a sieve so we have put three tubs in to catch the water and empty them every few hours. Our [1 word] and cartridges are mud and corruption. We had several stand-to and every time the gun fired we got a shower bath. Tonight our dugout 35 feet down started to leak so you can tell what this French raid is like. No bon! It started to trickle and then came in steadily. Two of us had to shift and the others made a tent of water proof sheets over their bunks and rolled in. The place is flooded. Sand bags are falling in and so on. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 16 WEDNESDAY [16-349] Weather wet. Dugout still leaks like a sieve. Two of us have had to shift our quarters while the other pair have rigged up a canopy and are braving the drippings. Heavy rains making observation poor consequently some inactivity. We put over a few rounds after moving around the tubs in the pit. Again tonight we put over a few rounds to keep Heine quiet. Making arrangements to turn over our position. We are going back to the old one. Gun went out of action with a broken firing pin and we had some time getting her set up again. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_021

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1ST MONTH 1918 17 THURSDAY [17-348] Weather wet. No aerial activity. The dribble still continues in the dugout and we stand up to eat our meals. Then you get the drip down your neck. Polished up a couple of Heinie 4.1's and wrote some letters. Fritz dropped a couple of shells alongside us this morning and we thought we were in for a strafe, but nix. Had a stand to at 7.30 tonight and put 12 rounds into a battery that shot over a few. We're having a fine war, believe me. Nearly had a game of checkers tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 Frity very 31 Days active JANUARY 18 FRIDAY [18-347] Weather fair. Observation fair. kicked out early to stand to on a moving target, then switched to an 'O.Pip' and back to movement Fritz opened up on us for some time and burst some heavy stuff Heaps of splinters. I was out in the foot, everyone was splattered in mud. The tin roof outside the pit was a God-send as it saved heaps of splinters. It was a case of under cover most of the time. Goldie and I had to haul gas during the strafe and had some time. Plenty of air fight. We lost one in a duel and the infantry brought down one of Fritz. This evening Frity resumed his strafe and chucked over 8-inch stuff, bursting all about us. It was a hot time right enough. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_022

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY Fritz 1st Month Active 1918 19 SATURDAY [19-346] First Quarter, 2.38 p.m. Weather good. Ground muddy Observation good. Went off on an early stand to and silenced a battery getting compliemts from corps. Had several stand to's and where firing gas when our springs gave way and we had to stand down. Had to rush in new spring as a big strafe was arranged for tonight. It was called off. Fifty strafed something fierce last night shaking every place. We are riding on his tail thought. We are all very tired as no 1. gun does most of the firing and have to haul all our ammunition so we are a bit up against it. A long good sleep would do us all good. But here we are game for anything. Something big will happen before long. [end page] [start page] 1918 Fritz very 31 Days Active. JANUARY 20 SUNDAY [20-345] 2nd after Epiphany. Weather misty early but cleared later and gave us a chance to strafe Fritz. We didn't fire many shots before he came back and strafed us the best part of the day. He dropped two in a little cemetery by the cook-house and turned up some of the graves of the 46th Batt boys, showing a boot and a puttie and another blanket. Fritz cares not for the R.I.P. signs. A section came in to take over this afternoon. Four men were killed at Napos Corner tonight. He is sweeping the roads and getting a bunch of casualties. All the dressing stations are full. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_023

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY A Bad 1st Month Day. 1918 21 MONDAY [21-344] Weather fair. We were out to strafe Fritz this morning but when we fired three rounds along came a raft of 5.90.[?] and we had to stand down and take cover. We were below from 8.15 to 4.45 and during that time about 600 shells dropped around. He got two hits on two gun pits and set fire to some charge. I nearly got it in the pit when a piece came in. Splinters came in everywhere. In the dugout the concussion blew out the lights. When the candle blew out we knew it was close. Houses have been levelled and tons of stuff has been thrown around. There fellows were buried in a dugout and three of the fellows who relieved us were wounded. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 22 TUESDAY [22-343] One fellow jumped through a hole in the wall to miss a shell and got it on the other side. Another fellow jumped into a cellar and there was no roof on it. He got shell shock as the shell burst right overhead. Up early. Weather damp. Fritz quiet. Busy squaring away damage done yesterday. At 10 am turned over the guns to another battery and we were mighty glad to pull out. Put in four guns tonight and slugged a big bunch of ammunition and went into action. We were just about all in when we turned in. It is good to be back in the old home. Things seem different no mud or leaky gun-pits and dugouts. We are jake. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_024

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 23 WEDNESDAY [23-342] Weather clear. Nothing starting Up at 6 a.m. to do some camouflaging, Registered and got on our S.O.S. line. Looks like a quiet spell as there is a pile of stuff in around here just now. Working on gun pit. Fritz is shelling the roads just now and several houses went down tonight. Had a fine time tonight. 1200 rounds of ammunition came up and there was plenty of work. We are sure having the tar razzled out of us just now. Not much sleep. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 24 THURSDAY [24-341] Up at 6am to haul ammunition. This amm. problem hangs about like a nightmare. Working all day on odds and ends and getting little to eat. Bully beef hangs about too much. Good job there are some canteens about and some money in our jeans. One of the cooks let off a [1 word] bomb this afternoon and scared our offices to death. Poor fellows. Another dose of 600 rounds came in tonight and we did some more till slugging. Our dugout works fine. Good beds and a fine fire. Tres bon! [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_025

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 25 FRIDAY [25-340] Conversion of S.Paul. Weather fine. Was on gun crew guard all night and turned in at 5.30 am but was disturbed at 5.45 am. to answer the S.O.S. Frity put over a raid trying to feel out our artillery but we are wise and only open a part of it. We are one of the silent batteries Fritz will have a fine reception if he comes over. Fritz's bombing squadrons came over at 6 pm and dumped a dozen bombs quite handy and kind of got our wind up as they make a wicked screech. Off duty tonight and turned in for a 12 hours' sleep and took off my pants for the first time in two weeks. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 26 SATURDAY [26-339] Weather fine. Plenty of aerial activity. Both sides have lots of planes up. Started tunnelling the position. All the gun pits are being linked up so as no one will get caught in case we get strafed Went on a salvaging trip through the cellars of [1 word] and found a lot of pans, pots, washing machines, wheel barrows, etc. Came down to the wagon lines tonight after a hard two weeks and am due for two weeks here. Had a square of eggs and chips Lomas is down with a mustard ear. We had a stand to and he pulled a piece off a sand bag and put in his ear. A gas shell burst there and poisoned his ear [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_026

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 27 SUNDAY [27-338] Septuagesima. O Full Moon, 3.14 a.m. Weather fine. Went with the church parade and then went on to stables. We turned out for our half holiday. We had a famous walking race of 20 miles between [1 word] and [1 word] and they did it in 4 4 4 hours. It was funny as they argued like two fools. in foot they were two or they wouldn't have done it. and they stopped at the estaminels[?] to drink. The walked a course to Boy [1 word] 10 and on about 3 miles The finish was dramatic. The two were abreast. Soule made a break, then Barnes started a run and they finished with a regular sprint, both being disqualified and all bets were called off which amounted to 800 francs. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 28 MONDAY [28-337] Weather fine. Working on next 'O.Pip' Nothing startling. Fritz was over with his bombing squadrons tonight and did a lot of damage in B and N.M. He was over us but did not drop anything. The nights now are starry and just right for bombing raids. Our machines can be seen sailing overhead with their lights on making for Fritz's line [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_027

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 29 TUESDAY [29-336] Weather fine. On 'O.Pip.' Bombing again tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JANUARY 30 WEDNESDAY [30-335] Weather fine. On 'O.Pip' Nothing doing. Our grub is none too good. Too much camouflaged bully beef. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_028

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1918 31 THURSDAY [31-334] The insurance herein contained is not valid until your name had been registered. Weather fine. On 'O.Pip' Busy digging rear positions in case we have to drift back. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 1 FRIDAY [32-333] Weather fine. Returned to duty to lend a hand cleaning up for big inspection tomorrow by M.-G. I took over a set of harness. We were all busy and have to have horses and harness in A1 shape and of course we will. Dick Martin returns to duty after being batman. He got sore when his office left him with his big bed in the open under shell fire while he beat it. Another tune he handed his haversack to Dick when he already had his bed on his back. Another officer made the remark that 'It takes an intelligent man to be a batman'. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_029

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 2 SATURDAY [33-332] Purification of B.V.M. Candlemas. Weather fine. Inspection came off fine and we were congratulated by the general. It was certainly a fine turn-out. This was our half holiday and I was planning to go and see Tommy Inglis but I was turned down on a mounted pass. As a result this is the day on which I lost all ambition. I have turned at 'O.Pip's' and made the battery known, and then when I was turned down on a pass I said to with the battery. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 3 SUNDAY [34-331] Sexagesima. Weather fine. Went on church parade today. Was on stable picquet tonight. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_030

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 4 MONDAY [35-330] Last Quarter, 7.52 a.m. Weather A1. Had a soft time on picquet. Went to water a horse at noon and was thrown off. Unconscious for a few minutes. Hurt arm, leg, neck and shoulder. Met Oswie[?] Fraser. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 5 TUESDAY [36-329] Weather fine. In bed as result of injury. Ritchie off his nut and is razzling us with all sorts of weird ideas. Going to have transparent harness and use 'Lee & Perrin's' sauce for the horses. Fit for nut house. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_031

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 6 WEDNESDAY [37-328] Weather fine. Laid up still. Greatly amused by the 'nut' we have. Kept on edge all night by the nut who thought he was a chemist. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 7 THURSDAY [38-327] Weather wet. Still off duty. Amused by the nut again, who is going to hospital. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_032

Transcript:

FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 8 FRIDAY [39-326] Half Quarter Day. Weather fair. Had a rest last night as Rich was taken to the hospital. He was taken to the hospital and was sent down the line. John Goldie and Barnes went down with him. Geo Lomas also went to the hospital with a carbuncle and a gassed ear. Went to the Y.M. and met a bunch of boys and it was just like dropping back in old Victoria. There are wild rumors about us going out on rest and reorganizing. We are all talking about our leave and hope to get away pretty soon. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 9 SATURDAY [40-325] Weather fine. Had a bath first in a month. Came up the line this afternoon and had a warm reception as Frity was shelling heavily the battery on our left. He pounded them for a fair and we had a number of refugees. A great deal of tunneling has been done and we have an ideal position, believe me. Making honor for some one, but its been rather hard work. The battery is going little now. Sort of silent battery stuff. Had a good sleep tonight [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_033

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 10 SUNDAY [41-324] Quinquagesima. Weather fine. Building ammunition dumps all day. Nothing to report. Things are quiet. We were shooting at the aeroplanes and the OC. said 'you might as well spit at them as shoot with them.' This is Sunday so we sang a few hymns tonight and then someone swore when he hit his finger with the axe. Then you would have thought it was a Saturday night. Tobacco issue tonight. 'Ruby Queen's.' Again Having peaches cream and biscuits tonight. Plenty of camouflage 'bully' these days. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 11 MONDAY [42-323] New Moon, 10.5 a.m. Weather clear. No firing today. Little activity on either side and no aerial movement. Busy building ammunition dumps. Had orders to stand by for a raid at 2 am in the morning but Frity got a line on it so it was postponed. Kept us up for some hours. Had a good roast today. The cooks have found a good bake-oven and we have regular roasts and baked potatoes. Tres bon! We are having things a bit easy, but I guess we need a rest as judging from all accounts there's going to be some fun here before long. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_034

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 12 TUESDAY [43-322] Shrove Tuesday. Weather moderate. Up at 8 am. No early 'reveilles' here. Mucking about most of the day doing nothing in part. Roy Foster was in most of the day. Tonight at 3 o'clock we stood to for the raid and the boys went over all along the line. Raids are difficult now as Fritz has so much wire. The artillery made an awful roar as they put over the barrage. The lucid flashes of the guns firing lit up the whole sky. It was quite a sight. We kept firing until late on. Had a new lad on [1 word] and he was spell bound by the noise and war afraid to handle the gun roughly for fear of breaking something. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 13 WEDNESDAY [44-321] Ash Wednesday. Weather misty. Up at 8 am. The shot of rum went to my head last night. Harne's church was pounded to atoms yesterday by our heavies and today is a heap of ruins. For a long time Fritz has used it as an 'O.Pip'. His 'O.Pip' are nearly all gone and he will have to depend upon his plane for observations. No word as to success of last night's raid. Weather wet tonight. Canadian mail in so there something to do [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_035

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 14 THURSDAY [45-320] Weather misty. Up early as we were due for an inspection by a general. We lost a whole morning waiting for him and then he simply said he was satisfied with things. Had a stand to this afternoon and had another rap at Heinie tonight. The raids of the last two nights were very successful. In the first one we killed a bunch of men and brought home some machine guns. Last raid showed that the Prussian Guards are in front of us. The front is not often still as machine guns are rattling away most of the time and the trench mortars occasionally get active. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 15 FRIDAY [46-319] Weather fair. Little aerial activity. What observation their is shows Fritz doing heaps of work behind his lines Had an S.O.S. early this morning as Fritz tried to pull off a raid, but our barrage kept him in his trenches. Nothing doing save building ammunition pits, railroad and other work. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_036

Transcript:

[start page] ^{Heinies balloon one plane down} FEBRUARY 2nd month 1918 16 SATURDAY [47-318] Weather fine. Plenty of aerial works. Fritz had a string of balloons up and an equation of our planes went over and he had to land them all down. One of our planes was brought down in flames by a direct hit from one of his Archies. Picked a bouquet of snowdrops from the ruin of a big shell hole. Also some daisies. There is a fine strawberry patch quite handy. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 17 SUNDAy [48-317] 1st in Lent. Ember Week. The day of rest. Busy building a railroad. Also handle a lot of ammunition to sniper and battery. Things are very quiet indeed on this front. Started to play 500 in order to pass the time. Harry Hunt and I oppose John Helmcken and Alex Goldie. Things do drag along in this most monotonous of all work. fighting and a pack of cards help along admirably. Fritz put quite a few shells along our front today and the Trench mortars were quite active [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_037

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 18 MONDAY [49-316] First Quarter, 0.57 a.m. Heavy frost. Consequence heavy mist about all day. No activity on either side. Tommy Inglis came to see me this morning and I was indeed glad to see him. He looks fine. I look him up in the 'O.Pip' and we saw L- through the mist. It is a battered town and not an hour passes but what we drop a lot of shells into it. The big T.E. are especially busy. The 500 game is in progress again tonight. Oh, its a great war. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 19 TUESDAY [50-315] Weather misty. The gang is out railroading. Some one got an idea to change the track and of course it is being done despite the fact that the boys up here are mighty busy digging tunnels, etc. We were due to go out on rest tomorrow, but are now staying. We are thankful as we do not want a month of grit and shine. On gun crew guard so wrote a few letters. This is a great war, believe, muh! A strafe once in awhile, an occasional narrow escape and writing and having a good time the rest of it. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_038

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 20 WEDNESDAY [51-314] Ember Day. Weather misty. Everything quiet. Hardly a shot fired all day. We have been inactice for three days. Busy doing odd jobs about and working on souvenirs in the meantime. Everyone has a craze for souvenirs and its taking more attention than winning the war. Also got the bug to go salvaging. It puts one in mind of prospecting as you never know what you are going to get as you prowl through cellars or through old clothes. There is a great sense of expectancy. On gun crew tonight. It is quite warm. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 21 THURSDAY [52-313] Weather very clear. Went up to sniper and fired a series at a big house and got it. Then registered two other points. Watched our guns shell Fritz's balloons. He hauls them down very quickly once we open up. We have just started to shoot at his balloon. One of our planes came down in flames. Our heavies went after [1 word] Church again and made an awful mess of things. Fritz was after the five-five all day and dropped a shell short, which lit behind D-sub and wounded Jimmy Wright and Bomb Lowe. Two more Blightly case. Had a fireworks display tonight Sausage stringers, liquid fire and star shells gave quite a display. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_039

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 22 FRIDAY [53-312] Ember Day. Weather fine. Everybody working on light railway. Odd men are employed in making souvenirs. Fritz has sent over a bunch of pamphlets by balloons in which he says he will give the Canadian boys 72 hours from a certain date and unless they are he will drive the Canadians until they are all gone. Well let him come if we don't pile the dead high. Fritz will be lucky . Rum issue tonight and I'm on gun guard. [end pate] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 23 SATURDAY [54-311] Ember Day. Weather good, Stood to last night and dropped a few rounds on a machine gun Fritz put out in no man's Land. Nothing doing today. Stood to on an aeroplane target but did not fire. Was relieved at the gun by the sargeant this afternoon. and came down the line and first thing I had eggs and chips. Got word today that Jimmie Wright was ~~buried~~ dead and had been buried in the afternoon. He our first man to go under. Dowell has gone down the line with boils and Lomas has gone down with his ear. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_040

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 24 SUNDAY [55-310] 2nd in Lent. S. Matthias. Weather fine. Off duty on 'O.Pip'. Trying to get some dope up. Inglis is down and has a dinky little room in a French cottage that smells like a rat-hole and its a great incentive to work. Still I guess we'll get something out. Met Pete Coates today. [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 25 MONDAY [56-309] Full Moon, 9.35 p.m. Weather fine. On 'O-Pip'. Down with a bad cold, Head thick and can't think. Fine weather for football and the boys are getting good exercise. Fritz dropped a shell in H- landing and killed ten girls. One girl near us was killed and her sister wounded and her brother's fiancee was napooed. He had a hunch there were tanks there. Paris leave is starting in a few days and four men are going. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_041

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 26 TUESDAY [57-308] Weather fine. On 'O-Pip.' Nothing startling. Went up line and met a fellow named Pearce, of the Y.M., on the road. Saw captain and came down. Fritz was nasty strafing napoo Corner and several batteries. Met Dan McDonald at B-S. and had a great old chat. Going up to see him some time later. He looks fine [end page] [start page] 1918 28 Days FEBRUARY 27 WEDNESDAY [58-307] Weather good. On 'O.Pip' Great excitement at Wagon Lines. Orders came down for 60 men to go up to dig pits and we had only two men for stables. Fritz got a dump today at Le B. Light drizzle. Boys just come in nice and wet and sore. Paris leave is cancelled. ~~Two men~~ Four men were to have gone toorrow and were already. Such are the fortunes of war. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_042

Transcript:

[start page] FEBRUARY 2nd Month 1918 28 THURSDAY [59-306] Weather fine. First of the boys went away on Paris leave today. I am due for the next leave. Still busy on the 'O.Pip' Boys are working on pits in Calonne. Met Louie Beckwith today. The first Yanks arrived here today and they are a good looking bunch of boys. They are attached to the Canadians for instructional purposes. There was a big raid last night on S-S front and was successful. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 1 FRIDAY [60-305] S.David. Weather fine but very cold. March is coming in like a lion sure enough. No bon getting up in the morning. On 'O.Pip' still. At the Y.M tonight there was quite a scene. The Canadians and Yanks are fraternizing fine and I think we will get on fine together. They do not seem a braggard lot of fellows of course they can't say much as they haven't been up the line yet and have something to learn. They march about smartly and carry their rifles at the slope, regular parade ground stuff. Our boys slouch along with their rifles slung. They forgotten the drill stuff. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_043

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 2 SATURDAY [61-304] Weather very cold. Had several snow ~~storms~~ flurries during the day. Still on 'O.Pip' There was plenty of noise up the lines this morning a bit of a French Mortar war. French life is rather quite these days. Every one is writing home for money for leave and big times are planned Its the only thing a fellow has to look forward to in this damned hole. However there's a half holiday in sight tomorrow as well as a pay day. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 3 SUNDAY [62-303] 3rd in Lent. Nothing doing today. Half holiday as result of heavy duty during week so Pete and I went to Bracquemont and saw a bunch of the boys. Took in a civilian movie house. It was some lay out, a scramble to get in and ~~what~~ when you got in nothing but smoke and rotten pictures A French soldier had a box and had his arm around a girl and the kids bawled him out this way the chief amusement. Today two cooks were arrested for stealing grub and were put into the clink. There's been a lot of pinching going on and now they have the crooks. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_044

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 4 MONDAY [63-302] Rain. Finished 'O.Pip' The cooks came up before our O.C. and were passed on to the C.O. The quarter-master has been dismissed for inefficiency There was a heavy rain on our front this morning. Fritz came over in large numbers with pack and three-days rations, evidently expecting to get through. But he was out of luck. Our artillery cut up the raiders and many were left in the wire. He put a heavy barrage on our artillery and mixed up sneezing gas which made things disagreeable. One major was killed in 55. This was Fritz's second attempt to get through but was frustrated both times [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 5 TUESDAY [64-301] Went on guard last night Had Bullen and Cohlan to look after as both were drunk. Nothing happened, the ~~drun~~ accused men came up to have written evidence taken. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_045

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 6 WEDNESDAY [65-300] Last Quarter, 0.44 a.m. Weather fine. Got the O.Pip ready and sent it to Blighty by Mr Mc Laren, who went on leave. A bunch of men came down the line today having been gassed. The Yanks are in the line. One Yank sargeant had a bunch of gas cylinders and camouflaged them with trench mortar boxes; the next Fritz saw the boxes and thinking he had a dump, promptly [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 7 THURSDAY [66-299] Weather fine. Plenty of aeroplane activity. A Fritz was brought in [3 words] Fellows beat it to the place from all over and its a wonder Fritz did not shell the place. One of our fighters tackled two Fritzs and sent one down in our lines and drove the other home. Andy Clarke drifted around to the lines today. He looks good Plenty of football and basketball. Weather great for sport. No sign of the big offensive. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_046

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 8 FRIDAY [67-298] Weather fine. Met Bill Erickson this morning. Went on stable picquet tonight and Andy Clarke came along and spent a couple of hours with me and we had a great chat over old-times. Plenty of bombing these nights. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 9 SATURDAY [68-297] Weather fine. On Picquet Bowell Lee came around for me in his car this afternoon and we hit for Arras, through Neoux St Vay[?]. Visited a 4.5 Imperial battery in Farbo Wood and saw a fine aerial fight between four of our slow artillery buses and a Fritz. He was trying to locate a battery. A-s is a great place. It was one of the largest cities in northern France and Fritz has strafed it badly. The big cathedral is a magnificent place but like all churches it has been badly battered by Fritz. The French people are moving back now. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_047

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 10 SUNDAY [69-296] 4th in Lent. Weather great. Warned by Glenn for office for being insolent. I should worry, the poor boob couldn't do much. was warned tonight for Paris leave so will have to do some tall hustling to get ready. We are due to go out on rest. We are being relieved by. 2nd B.[?] It is our first rest in since coming over. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 11 MONDAY [70-295] Weather beautiful. Everything quiet. Working on harness and getting ready to shift to our ~~old~~ new lines. There was a beautiful scene tonight. The sun was setting in a blaze of gold and the clouds were tinted. We were playing football in a dip and on the crest the farmer was plowing. The French man and woman work very hard. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_048

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 12 TUESDAY [71-294] New Moon, 7.52 p.m. Very warm. Were coming down from stables at 7.30 am when we saw a Fritz aeroplane come over. It was misty and he was unobserved. He shot down two of our observation balloons and made for home. It was a great sight to see these two balloons take fire and then fall to earth. A Gotha was over last night and got lost. It landed near N. le M. and when the Heinies found they were in our territory they went back and set fire to their machine. Four prisoners were taken. Temple was in to see me [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 13 WEDNESDAY [72-293] Weather cold this morning. carrying on with preparations to move. Nothing about leave yet. Went on guard tonight over prisoners. They had their general court-martial yesterday. Strafe on up the line at day break. .Everybody playing ball or kicking their shoes out at a football. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_049

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 14 THURSDAY [73-292] Weather cool and wet. Had a cold time on guard. Twenty-third battery came in to relieve us and we are ready to pull out tomorrow. Good news tonight going to Paris tomorrow morning. Having great time getting ready. I am going by myself. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH 15 FRIDAY [74-291] Off on leave to Paris at 9am. Rode 20 kilos to Aubiny[?]. Caught a train at 11.45. The coaches were more like old-fashioned street cars. We rambled along on some old line through the main streets of several villages, stopped when some old people were crossing the tracks. We were utterly disgusted when a fellow who missed the train overtook us on a bicycle. We reached Frevent at 2 pm had a meal and then caught a train at 2.30 pm for Amiens. It was a slow ride. These French trains are the slowest things in the world. Had a talk with a Frenchman who was nursing a blesse. Reached Amiens at 6 pm and got a few ham sandwiches. We are now beginning to see a bit of French class. The people are of a more superior type [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_050

Transcript:

[start pag] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~16 SATURDAY [75-290]~~ Left at 6.30 pm on what was to be a 'flyer' but I have seen trains climb mountains faster than this. I pilled into a coach that was full of French men and women and it was some lay-out. I stood all the way and was amused at the actions of a newly married couple. The husband seemed to pay more attention to the bridesmaid. They had a flask of wine. Then there was an old woman who talked with a prima donna voice ~~for~~ continuously save for an occasional deep breath. On nearing Paris saw a huge fire the result of the explosion of a munition works. Reached Paris at 8.30 pm and were taken in lorries to Pepiniere Barracks to register. Then went to [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~17 SUNDAY [76-289]~~ Passion Sunday. S. Patrick. the ym. and had supper and met [illegible] old pals, then came to the Hotel D 'Jena and got a swell room for 5 f. Sheets and all the fine stuff, mirrors, baths. Tres bon. Paris looks fairly good at nights, plenty of lights and fine show windows. Far different to London. Well here goes for a sleep 11.30 pm. Saturday, March 16. Up at 8 am. No 'reveille.' Had a jake sleep between the sheets and on a soft mattress. Had a hair cut and these Frenchmen are sure there on the Tonsorial stuff. Met 'Clink' and went for a walk with him. Went through 'Madaline Church' a church which ranks among the [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_051

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~18 MONDAY [77-288]~~ French as St Paul's does amongst the English. Met Inglis and we went ot the British am Army and navy League Club and had dinner Then took a tube-ride around Paris and came up at Possy crossed the Seine and saw the wonderful Eiffel Tower. It is a remarkable structure. No one is allowed to go in to see it as it is now used for military purposes Went along and had a ride in the big 'Ferris Wheel.' Came in and saw the famous Champs Elysses, the second widest city in the world. It is beautiful. Paris janes and ladies are wonderful. They seem much different to the girls of other countries. They seem to have a natty way of dressing and make [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~TUESDAY [78-287]~~ ~~First Quarter, 1.30 p.m.~~ themselves quite charming. Returned to Hotel D'Jena and had a fine supper. An orchestra brightened things up considerably. The Y.m. certainly does try hard to look after the boys and succeeds to a great extent. Tonight there is to be a dance and games. Yesterday there was a big explosion in a munition works and many were killed Sunday, March 7th. Up at 8.30 am. Had a fine time at the dance last night. There were a bunch of American janes there and we had a grand old mix-up, dancing and game. They certainly do every thing to make the soldier on leave enjoy himself. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_052

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~20 WEDNESDAY [79-286]~~ This morning went to the Hotel des Invalids and saw many of the trophies taken by the French in this war. The remains of two Gothas, brought down in the last air raids, were put on exhibit this morning [1 word] famous machine is on exhibition and is covered with flowers. The French certainly admire this gallant airman. A Fokker captured at Vimy is also exhibited and a couple of ~~trench mortars~~ albatrosse. There are also a bunch of trench mortars, machine guns, guns of various caliber and relics of zeppelins. We saw Napoleon's tomb, which is a beautiful place. The French worship napoleon. The men remove their hats when 100 feet [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~21 THURSDAY [80-285]~~ ~~Vernal Equinox.~~ from the tomb and speak in a whisper. Had a fine dinner at the D'Lena[?] and then took a train and went to Bois de Boulogne, and saw the Steeplechase and the Grand Prix. Saw the booting and then went for a ride along the Champs Elysees to the Place de la Concord and on through to the Louvre, which is close to the public. The layout of this section of the city is marvellous. Had afternoon tea at the D'Lena[?] and then had supper at the Hotel de Ostende, proceeding from there to the Opera. The opera is the most gorgeous theatre I have every seen. It is immensely and baffles discription It has a pit and the remainder of the seats are arranged in [end page] [start page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_053

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 22 FRIDAY [81-284]>/del> tiers of boxes, upholstered in a crimson plush. This presented a ground appearance with the ladies gaily dressed and the snappy French uniforms. The promenade in the theatre is wonderful. The show was 'William Tell' and it was grand. The overture was played in a 64-piece orchestra and was a masterpiece. We are doing all our travelling by taxi-cabs. They are reasonable and a fellow can get around fine in one. We saw the women out in their Sunday rigouts and to say the less the city of Paris possesses the finest things ever set on two feet. They are cute and dainty and know how to dress. Well here goes for bed [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~23 SATURDAY [82-283]~~ Monday, March 18th. Weather fine. Up at 8.30 am, had a fine breakfast and went and saw Inglis at the marlboro. Went around and saw some printers about 'O-Pip.' met Norman Sinister on Rue de l'opera Had lunch at the 'Duval' and then went o the 'Tourist Hotel' and after a wash started for the skating Rink. Took a taxi and a couple of [1 word] and had a most interesting time. Plenty of wrens at the rink Skating till I could hardly stand up. Had a grand dinner at the D'Lena and was present at the inauguration of the place as a Y.M.C.A. hotel. Sir John Gibson of Toronto, gave the address and among the artists who took part were some of Paris' stars. Monsieur Plamondon, a French-Canadian, and one of the [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_054

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~24 SUNDAY [83-282]~~ ~~Palm Sunday~~ leading tenors here. Mlle Saiman[?], ~~wife of the owner~~ of the Opera-Comigne[?] Mme.Abby Richardson, wife of the owner of the Opera-Comigne[?]; M Marcel Chailley, an beautiful violinist, and his wife a wizard at the piano. It was an excellent affair. Plenty of good eats afterwards. Tuesday, March 9th. Weather fine. Paid a visit to the pay-master and drew 100 francs. This afternoon went to Notre Dame cathedral a wonderful piece of architecture. From there we went to the Magasins du Rivoli, a big departmental store and roamed through it. Then we roamed along through the Louvre and up to the American Club, where I got some real ice cream, the first since I left Canada. Also had an [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~25 MONDAY [84-281]~~ ~~Annunciation B.V.M. Lady Day.~~ ice cream soda. Met Laird Raymond, the first Yank I have ~~seen~~ known personally. Had a fine supper and then a bunch of us went to the 'Casinode' and saw a fine show and plenty of fluff. Got in at 12.30 after promenade of Rue de Italiens. Wednesday, March 20th. Weather beautiful. Left for Versailles on the train at 11.30 arriving at 12. Had lunch at the Sussie[?] Hotel and then was escorted through the palace, one of the most historic palaces in France. It was started by Louis XIV a great man, but one of very extravagant ideas. The palace is magnificent and the Hall of Mirrors is one of the most famous in the world. The paintings on the walls and ceilings [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_055

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~26 TUESDAY [85-280]~~ are by some of the most famous painters in the world. The gardens are magnificent and cover thousand of acres. It is wonderful. Return from Versailles at 5 pm, had supper and took in the Follie Bergere, one of the most celebrated theatres of Paris [1 word] Thursday, march 21st Drew some money today. Also saw about 'O-Pip.' Went to the American Club and had some ice cream. Saw Paris in a tube this afternoon. Some trip. Met Laird Raymond and saw some great sights of Paris at night. Friday march 22nd. Up at 5.30 am and went to Fontainbleau. Left on 6.30 train. Had a 60-kilo ride. Had lunch at the Camdan Blue Hotel. Fontainbleau is a [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~27 WEDNESDAY [86-279]~~ ~~Hilary Law Sittings end.~~ Full Moon, 3.33 p.m. beautiful town. having many fine avenues of trees and many fine houses. Went through the famous palace, made famous by Henry II, Henry IV, Francis I and latterly by Napoleon. There are many wonderful rooms especially the ballroom, which is gorgeous. Returned at 6 pm. Went to the 'Olympian Theatre' and when the third act was on an air raid alarm was given The people got their wind up and there were some fine scenes. Immediately the tubes, trains and taxis stopped and we had to walk home. There was an awful noise when the 'all clear' went. Saturday, March 23rd. Air raid again. Tried to get down town but no tubes or trains. They are [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_056

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~28 THURSDAY [87-278]~~ ~~Maundy Thursday~~ terrified here. The Frenchies live in their cellars almost continuously This afternoon they came to the conclusion that it was not bombs which fell in Paris but shells from a long-range gun. Several people have been killed. Fritz has a new piece of artillery and the people are greatly alarmed. All the shows are cancelled for tonight. We had a dance at the hotel and just as we got going the air raid signal was given and all lights had to be doused. However, we had some English and American girls in who didn't mind bombs and we lit some candles and played cards. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~29 FRIDAY [88-277]~~ ~~Good Friday~~ Sunday, March 24th. Beautiful weather. Went for a stroll to the Boulevard Bois de Boulogne, the Rotten Row of Paris, and sat down to take in the styles. They were heaps of silks and satins, ankles and beauty faces so we enjoyed our selves immensely. Some people walked, others sported motor cars and still other romped along on horses. Its a gay town this Paris. Fritz is again shelling the town. Went to Luna Park. Had a song-service tonight at the hotel. Had a trip in the Ferris Wheel. Monday March 25th. Up at 7.45. Went down town to do some shopping. After lunch went to printers and [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_057

Transcript:

[start page] MARCH 3rd Month 1918 ~~30 Saturday [89-276]~~ ~~Easter Eve~~ then came up to Opera and drew all my money at Pepiniere. Fellows went out tonight. I stayed in to hear a concert. We had some yanks in and they were not bad. Turned in early for a change. Tuesday March 26th. Up early. Went shopping this morning and likewise this afternoon. There was an air raid during the night. Took in a movie show this afternoon. The German offensive seems to be going well. People here have the wind up and are leaving Paris in droves. They say Fritz is on his way to Amiens. Tonight some of the boys went ot Casino a. Glen came in but shorty stayed in. [end page] [start page] 1918 [newspaper article] Another 'Big Bertha'? From Ottawa Citizen Interesting, if true, is the report that the Germans are making a 'Big Bertha' with a 100-mile range. But not of such military significance as to cause alarm. To those who witnessed the last war, the news will inevitably recall the other German long-range gun, 'Big Bertha.' This piece of freak ordnance threw a projectile almost 80 miles. The exact distance was 76 miles. It bombarded Paris from the forest of Coucy in the northeast. The bombardment began on March 23, 1918, and extended over 140 days, firing taking place ever third day. Altogether 256 persons were killed by 'Big Bertha,' 156 of them on one day. This happened when a shell hit the church of St.Gervais on Good Friday. The moral effect of the bombardment was slight. 'Big Bertha' was a high velocity gun made by boring out a 15-inch naval gun and inserting a projecting tube of 8.4-inch calibre, which was rebored to a larger width as it became worn. The muzzle was lengthened to increase the range. The weight of the shell was 264 pounds. A gun capable of firing 100 miles is mainly a matter of mathematics and design. But the big problem is to make it stand up under the terrific strain imposed upon it. The wear and erosion on a long-range artillery piece throwing a huge shell 100 miles are such as to shorten its life to such an extent as to make it uneconomical. That is why the 1918 'Big Bertha' was fired only every three days. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_058

Transcript:

[start page] [newspaper article] [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MARCH ~~31 Sunday [90-275]~~ ~~Easter Day.~~ Wednesday March 27th. Was up at 7.30 and went shopping Had a fine taxi ride. When I got back to lunch there were orders for us to all go report immediately to our units. We planned to go at 7.20 pm. but missed it The char-a-bang wa left the Y.m. all decorated with flowers and on reaching the Gare du Nord the soldiers were beseiged by girls who wanted souvenirs and took all the flowers. Paris will be deserted of troops tonight Every soldier must report back at 10.15 we left the D'Lena[?] in a char-a-bang, which had been decorated again and sang songs all the way to the gare. There wer were rushed on to a train, which pulled out at 11.30. Eight of [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_059

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~1 MONDAY [91-274]~~ ~~Easter Monday. Bank Holiday.~~ us squeezed into a compartiment and there was no chance for a sleep. We dozed on one another's shoulders The train was frightfully slow and we were till 7.30 this morning reached Amiens. Thursday, March 28th. Weather very cold. We nearly froze in the train. At a station we picked up a chap, who got lost in the Cambrai fight and is going back to his unit. When we reached Amiens we found that the station had been bombed. On arriving there the R.T.O. ordered us to proceed to Abbeville. We are the last soldiers to leave Paris and there are about 300 of us. At Amiens and other points we saw large numbers of refugees from Albert and other towns on which [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~2 TUESDAY [92-273]~~ ~~Easter Tuesday~~ Frity is advancing. Women and children are staggering along the roads under heavy loads. Things seem a bit serious. On reaching Abbeville we were ordered to proceed to Etaples and accordingly arrived here at 1 pm. We were shown no 9 Rest Camp, an endless row of tents on a sandy plain, with the wind kicking up an awful dust, so we immediately looked about for a room. Glen and I got a nice room and then went out and had four eggs apiece. Shorty, Cherub and Bill have a room elsewhere. We are due to pull out of here at 8.15 tomorrow morning. There are lots of W.A.A.C girls here, but Etaples seems a poor sort of place. It started to rain hard this afternoon. Much [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_060

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~3 Wednesday [93-272]~~ war material is being rushed up the line to stem the advance. Many heavy guns are going up and we saw a train load of ambulance men and stretchers going through. It looks nice! Went out and had a chicken supper for 3 1/2 francs. Turned in at 9 pm and had a good sleep. Friday March 29th. Up at 7.30 am. had breakfast and took the train at 9.20 am for St.Pol. We were side-tracked serveral times to allow transport to get by and reached St. Pol at 1 pm. to find all the civilians moving out. Fritz has bombed and shelled the place night and day and made an awful mess out of it There [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~4 THURSDAY [94-271]~~ ~~Last Quarter, 1.33 p.m.~~ is not a window in the place. Took another train for Aubigny and on the way passed hundreds of tanks and all kinds of artillery. Reached Aubigny at 4 pm, had eats and met a staff car and got a lift to a cross roads and walked to [1 word] where I found the battery ready to pull out. They were on rest 5 days, went into action at L-s and were there for five days pulled the guns out and got ready to get in on the drive. We are due to pull out tomorrow but do not know where we are going. Have a billet over an estaminet. Saturday, March 30th Weather fair this morning. Had orders to [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_061

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~5 FRIDAY [95-270]~~ ~~Dividends due.~~ move off for a new position at 11 am but got a hurry-up call to pull out at 8.30. Were on the road all morning, got off the route but eventually landed up in an open field with the whole of our own division and the [1 word] Just as we were pulling in it started to rain like sin and the ground became very soggy. After a snack of grub we started off with the gun for our new position. I took the gun in. We had a very ~~1 word~~ wet trip through slush and mud and finally landed up at a trench annd were pointed to a hole which was to act as our gun-pit. In the wet and mud we improved the hole and at midnight rolled in a chalk pit to [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~6 SATURDAY [96-269]~~ have a sleep. It was the worse bed I have ever had, it was all [1 word] We were on guard tonight so had a delightful time. We were wet right through to the hide and our [1 word] to open warfare has been a novel occurrence. Sunday (March 31st) This is Easter Sunday and we were mighty thankful for a spell of sunshine which dried us out. We were up at 5.30 am and started to dig in the gun Worked like fiends all day. building dumps and making the place a bit tenetable. Fritz has been shelling pretty close and dropped a 4.1 just behind us which covered us with mud. We are on a front where the [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_062

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~7 SUNDAY [97-268]~~ ~~Low Sunday.~~ Canadians stopped Fritz and cut him up so badly. His dead where piled high. There is heaps of artillery in and everything is in the open. You can see guns everywhere There was much aerial activity. A squadron of 17 of ours went over and gave Fritz a hard time of it and the Archies made the sky black Tonight ammunition came up on packs and the drivers had a hard time, so did we we did a lot of handling Another bed on the chalks Monday April 1st. Weather beautiful. Had a full nights' sleep but was rather tired [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~8 MONDAY [98-267]~~ and sore from the many points of chalk. We have been working very hard getting things in shape. We are in the main salient of the line at present and have a fine advantage over Fritz in as much as we have high ground and are behind it, Fritz is expecting over any time. It was here that Fritz tried to get through but the Canadians cut him to piece. There is a big time ahead. Saw a wonderful sight this afternoon One of Fritz's airmen came over and cleared our line of observation balloons getting four in succession. The balloonist escaped in their parachute. Fritz had the [1 word] on us today in the air, Lots of ammunition coming in, wokring very hard [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_063

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~9 TUESDAY [99-266]~~ ~~Last Day Fire Insurance ceases. Easter Law Sittings begin.~~ Tuesday April 2nd Weather fine. Had a lie in till 8 am and was glad of it as I was very tired. Worked hard all day on dumps and got in the last of our ammunition supply. It was someday, This afternoon we built ~~our~~ a shelter for the gun guard and it is jake. We are now assembling material to make a splinter proof over the gun. Fritz has been dropping some big stuff around. A battery of 60-pounders on our left was giving him some trouble and he started on it with 4.1's and finished up with 12-inch but still the boys carried on. It was a fine duel and a good display [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~10 WEDNESDAY [100-265]~~ of courage by our lads. A big splinter came in our pit There is a lot of noise on our right tonight. It has started to rain hard, another delightfully encouraging effect of the war. We had a big Canadian mail today and it was the most welcomed we have ever received. The parcels came in quite handy as our rations are none too heavy considering the heavy works we are doing and the fresh air we live in, although sometime our gun pit is none too healthy. Am in gun guard tonight. Wednesday, April 3rd. Weather fair. Had three 'stand too' during the night. Nothing starling. All day we have been [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_064

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~11 THURSDAY [101-264]~~ ~~New Moon~~ busy building a gun-pit. We put up the skelton of one and an officer said it looked like a sky-scraper and would give away the position so we tore it down and set up a lower one. We have done a lot of hard work but have a good pit now. We had pinched planks and everything. We are all dog-tired tonight and are due for a good sleep. There is a lot of talk about a strafe coming off but our chaps went over the other night and failed to find a Heinie after going over 1000 yards. He wants this point as his advance in other parts in held up But the Canadians are holding the line and will give him what they gave him on Good Friday When he sent divisions [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~12 FRIDAY [102-263]~~ over with seven days' rations and was thrown back. Thursday, April 4th. Weather fair. Working on gun pit and have things in good shape. Got a line on a couple of canteens and are getting in a stock of stuff. Tonight it is raining very hard. I am on gun guard and it is very muddy outside. Oh Its a lovely war. Friday, April 5th. Weather fair. Working hard all day on gun-pit. Managed to get away this afternoon to Roclincourt to get a new gas mask. Was lucky and saw Stan Young. Also bought a lot of stuff with which to replenish our larder. It started to rain this evening We went on harassing fire and had [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_065

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~13 SATURDAY [103-262]~~ a hard time. The buffer went out of sight in the mud and the gun kept jumping off the platform so we got our backs sort keeping her on line. This makes 48 hours that I have not had my boots off. We managed a few hours' sleep and I certainly needed them. Saturday, April 6th. Weather fair. They expected Fritz over and we stood to on our S.O.S. lines but he never came. Put in a new buffer today and worked hard on the pit and put down duck boards in the trench. As hungry as bears. In shelling yesterday Fritz put a whizz bang into the 61st just ahead of us and killed Jack Wood, of Victoria, and wounded three other boys. Last night he dropped a few shells handy. It is [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~14 SUNDAY [104-261]~~ ~~2nd after Easter.~~ raining again tonight. It seems to rain every night, just enough to keep things muddy and sticky Sunday, April 7th. Weather fine. Gradually getting things squared away. Put duckboards in the trench, which relieves the mud saturation. This is a great country for canteens[?]. Every night we usually walk about 10 miles trying to find a Y.M.C.A where we can get something to eat but they are mighty scarce right now. However we [1 word] a couple of cans of mick and had some mush tonight and it sure went well. Heavy rain tonight as usual. Had a couple of stand tos during the night. Monday, April 8th. Weather fair. Had an easy day as we [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_066

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~15 MONDAY [105-260]~~ ~~Interest payable on [pound] 4% War Loan, 1929-1942.~~ were all feeling the effects of the hard week's work. We have the gun pit in good shape and are ready for the show. We are now turning our attentions to our dugoug. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the taking of Vimy Ridge and they expect Fritz to make an effort. Perhaps he will think better of it as its a hard road to Tipperary. However we shall see. There was a big Canadian mail in tonight so you can imagine we all fell in good spirals. Lots of news from home and plenty of parcels. I am on gas guard tonight. Fritz is going a bit of shelling and sending over a [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~16 TUESDAY [106-259]~~ bit of gas. Tuesday, April 9th. Weather fair with occasional rain. This is the anniversary of the taking of Vimy Ridge and here we are holding it with Fritz making the claim that he will take it back. We thot we were in for a bad time as all night he was chucking over gas and we were up most of the night. Had our gas masks on for a time. He mixed up a lot of heavy stuff with it. We had four stand-tos before 8 am. Sort of had the wind up up forward. Went for a bath this morning and really needed it. Got bad news tonight. Fritz shelled our wagon lines and the boys were moving our, when a shell hit between the horses killing four. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_067

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~17 WEDNESDAY [107-258]~~ three others were later shot. Poor old Mr.Daniel of HQ, was killed, shot through the heart and head and Bomb. McGreer[?] was hit in the abdomen. Fullerton was badly injured about the legs and Bob [1 word] picked up a splinter. One chap was using a shovel when a shell struck underneath it and threw him about 20 feet. He got up and ran like mad. We have moved our wagon lines again. The boys at the lines are certainly having a hard time of it in the rain and mud, and hauling ammunition and shelling. Am due for a good sleep tonight. 'O-Pips' arrived today. Wednesday, April 10th. Weather fair. Put over two raids early this morning, both of which were successful. We heard some good information was obtained. We did a lot [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~18 THURSDAY [108-257]~~ ~~First Quarter, 4.8 a.m.~~ of firing. The two raids yesterday morning were successful. We hear today that Fritz got through on the Portugese, ~~which~~ to the north, which means that we are in a big salient and are due for a warm time. Ammunition tonight. Slight rain. Did considerable work on the gun pit. Thursday, April 11th. Weather fair. Plenty of work. At noon the weather became very fine and warm and it was a real treat to hear the birds singing. There seem to be quite a few meadow Larks around here There is a very heavy battle going on south of us and at nights there is a very heavy cannon [1 word] and the sky is vivid with [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_068

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~19 FRIDAY [109-256]~~ ~~Primrose Day (1881).~~ flashes. Had ammunition fatigue last night at 3 am in the pitch dark. Beautiful work. Bomb. Mc.Greer died today of wounds received in the bombardment two days ago. Several boys have shell shock. Friday, April 12th. Weather beautiful-clearest day we have had yet. Counted 17 Frity balloons on our front. Got orders that we are to pull out today. Turning over to 9th Battery and are relieving the 35th Battery a mile or so to our right. Its always the way, as soon as we get a position well fixed we turn it over to some one else. Two guns are going our and I have been left to see that they go. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~20 SATURDAY [110-255]~~ Was on harassing fire all last night. There was quite a lot of noise as there was a lot of heavy stuff going both ways. Turned over both guns and fast-slogged across the famous Vimy Ridge over shell- holes, passed the famous new 6-inch and passed the big monument erected on the A-S-L-S roads to the commemomration of the Canadian Artillery Corps Then reached the new battery position. Have a fair gun-pit and a good bivy. Went on gun guard tonight and had a cold night. Fritz did a bit of strafing. Saturday, April 13th. Weather cold. Ha Spent most of the time in the gun pit getting in amm [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_069

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~21 SUNDAY [111-254]~~ ~~3rd after Easter.~~ and fixing things. Getting bivy fixed. Was warned this afternoon that I was due to go down to the wagon lines. Left at 9 pm and walked down. It was a hard grind. Lines are at Brunhaut[?] Farm and are well sheltered but Fritz drops the odd shell over, and puts the wind up. Have a bed on the floor in an old ~~she~~ cellar of the only ruin here. Took my clothes off for the first time ~~1 word~~ since leaving Paris 16 days Sunday, April 14th. Weather cold. Wind cutting. Slept in and had fine rest. Church parade and had holy communion. Went on grazing parade. Built hames[?] room. Davell is in Blighty. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~22 MONDAY [112-253]~~ Its a soft war. Went to Morel[?] and had three eggs and chips. Strafe on up the line. Off to bed early. Fritz dropped over a few shells tonight and a number of Chinese from the Labor Battalion across the road came tumbling down our steps to spent the night John Goldie promptly took one by the collar and dragged him out and the others to save a similar exit left immediately. There's nothing like a cellar in a strafe Monday, April 15th. Wicked wind blowing. Working around lines. The Chinese moved out this afternoon. They have a tremendous kit. I'd hate to have to pack it. Last night a keg of beer was distributed to the boys and tonight two bottles of [end pag]e

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_070

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~23 TUEsDAY [113-252]~~ ~~s.George.~~ champagne were issued to each sub. We drew for them and I got one but passed it on. An officer has been riling everyone here ~~and~~ during the past week and a report was made against him, accordingly he was hauled out and immediately he tried to square himself. All estaminets are out of bounds to the Canadian troops. The boys had a great time in A-S. Fritz has been shelling it and the civies pulled out leaving everything and our boys helped themselves. Rations are light. Tuesday, April 16th. A little better weather. Cleaning harness. Half holiday this afternoon. Having a soft time just [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~24 WEDNESDAY [114-251]~~ now. Nothing out of the ordinary doing. Had cocoa tonight. On stable picquet. Wednesday, April 17th. Weather terribly cold. Keen wind blowing. More like winter. Spent the whole day cleaning harness They are timing to pull this First Division stuff and some of these old-timers are peddling a lot of crop. A certain fellow who wears a couple of pips is raving furiously and giving us a lot of fun. Had a good dinner today, mulligan, rice and tea. We must be winning. Went to morel tonight and bought a bunch of biscuits and a ton of pears which cost four francs. Stuckey and I got a wad of laundry tonight. We needed some underwear and went [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_071

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~25 THURSDAY [115-250]~~ ~~S.Mark~~ into a joint where washing was done and asked for our laundry. The lady offered us an officer's lot and we took it and paid two francs. Thursday, April 18th. Weather very cold. Slight drizzle. On harness again today. Its a great war. We no doubt get a great many victories by our harness cleaning. They talk about painting the steel. It would be the most sensible thing done yet. Had a mandolin in action in the dugout tonight and had some spirited action and singing There was some fine dancing. It is a nice clear night, but very cold. Friday, April 19th. Weather very cold. We have had snow [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~26 FRIDAY [116-249]~~ ~~Full Moon, 8.5 a.m.~~ storms off and on today. There has been a little ~~sun~~ sunshine Little aerial activity was in a cellar today where General Joffe and General [1 word] met in January 1915 to confer on the Battle of Lens. Most of the houses around here are made of chalk blocks and mud. This is Brunhaut[?] Farm at the crossing of two main roads, the huge trees of which from a fine wind break. There are a few ruins here and a grave of some unknown British heroes is in the centre of our lines. All around us the land has been sown and here and there are new lines of trench We have a long way to go for water [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_072

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~27 SATURDAY [117-248]~~ Saturday, April 20th. Weather fine. Heavy frost this morning. Harness cleaning all day. Winger[?] has had several 'launches' today. Had quite a ta-do with Chat today. Sure having a fine time today. Were paid this morning. Went down town and had eggs and chips. Bit of shelling today. Fritz after Bethune. Fritz was bombing last night and put a bit of wind up. Sunday April 21st. Weather frosty. Fine during the day. Bath parade. Full marching order parade at 11 am. for our dear officer to have an inspection. Had a half holiday today. Had a church service in the open this evening. and it was quite interesting Bit of a strafe on up the line [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~28 SUNDAY [118-247]~~ ~~4th after Easter.~~ All talk about taking A-S. Monday, April 22nd. Weather cold in the morning but quite warm during the day. Cleaning harness. Yesterday afternoon went down to see the 12-inch naval gun and saw it fire. Went up the line tonight with ration wagon. and had to find a cross-country road back to the wagon line. It was sure some trip. We missed a few 4.1's. There is quite a strafe on on Bethune the former stomping grounds of we boys. Tuesday, April 23rd. Weather very warm and fine. Working on harness, cleaning line and making ourselves generally useful. Started to dig near positions today in N.St. more work for the boys. Lots of talk of Fritz making [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_073

Transcript:

[start page] APRIL 4th Month 1918 ~~29 MONDAY [119-246]~~ a drive around here. Went up with ration wagon tonight had quite a trip to new position. Saw Vanghaus[?] who was a lawyer in Victoria. He is now a cook in the heavies. Wednesday, April 24th. Weather fine. Firing up hanes (?) room. Passing the line easily. Had a heavy rain shower tonight. Very heavy strafe going on on our front this evening. Lots of Crown and Anchor and Poker these nights. Big bets, Bill Lee runs the C&A Thursday, April 25th. Weather fine. Duty sub. Cleaning harness. Fritz tried to come over at A-S on a mile front, but did not get pass our wire. There was quite a noise going on most of the night. We are getting lots of eggs these [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days APRIL ~~30 TUESDAY [120-245]~~ days. Had three for breakfast and two with potatoes tonight. Eggs cost 4 1/2d. each but we eat them with a relish as things do not vary very greatly in eats these days. Weather fair tonight. Met Reg and Lou Beckwith. Friday, APril 26th. Weather foggy. Went for a bath. Dragging another set of gun-pits at Mount St.E. Having a easy time at lines, cleaning harness and soon. Squaring up 'O-Pip' accounts this afternoon. Its no easy job getting a paper out, I can assure you. The Labor Battalion across the way gave a concert tonight and we were invited and I went. It was amusing in its way and its surprising the talent to be found on a unit over here. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_074

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 ~~1 WEDNESDAY [121-244]~~ ~~SS.Philip & James.~~ Saturday, April 27th. Weather fine. Gen Dodds made an inspection this morning and was pleased with our lines. Went to the guns tonight and was just in time for a raid. We shot over gas. It was a good raid. We had to jiggle our guns about a bit putting them in different pits to get the necessary switches and ranges. They got a bunch of prisoners and John Goldies tried to take an iron cross off an officer as he was marching down the road. 3rd D in the limelight again Caught Fritz at Hill 70 in the act of making an advance and machine gunners went over and cut them up. Sunday, April 28th. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY ~~2 THURSDAY [122-243]~~ Weather very misty. On gun guard last night. A Fritz aeroplane came over low this afternoon and we shot at him but it was no use. Young Barton and Deep Sea and Woods were in to see me tonight. Early this evening Fritz started a heavy shelling and put over a raid and at 11 o'clock our boys went over on one. We fired 54 rounds in 15 minutes. Monday, April 29th. Weather continues cold, misty and disagreeable. Having an easy time, Fritz put some unpleasant harassing fire around our position this morning. He dropped them in the road, at the officers' mess and the latrine, blowing the latter right up. Several of the boys are quite sick with colds. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_075

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 ~~3 FRIDAY [123-242]~~ ~~Last Quarter, 10.20 p.m.~~ Today I was promoted to be a sargeant Tuesday, April 30th. Weather very wet. All the shell-holes are filling up and the ground is very slippery and muddy and the position is very bad. Fritz has done considerable shelling and this afternoon swept the roads. Got two dozen eggs up and have two in the morning and two at night. Most of the gun-pits are quite full of water and the dugouts are wet. Wednesday, May 1st. Weather overcast. Ordered to the sniper and on way up met Gordon Kidney. Went along Red Trail to on duckboard through V-Y and P.V. to embankment and took [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY ~~4 SATURDAY [124-241]~~ over gun. It is in an old battery position from which the main line had to retire when Fritz came ahead. There are lots of pits around and some have been hit. There are shells all over the place. The pit is as ankle-deep in water so had to square it away. Had duckboards in to fire with and holes had been dug to drain water so it was some dive. Got squared away and put over 300 rounds before the night was out. Have a fine big dugout here. Plenty of room and well down and safe. Dick Bouyd[?]. Hickman and McIntosh are on my shift. There are eight gunners a cook and three signallers here, quite a family [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_076

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 ~~5 SUNDAY [125-240]~~ ~~Rogation Sunday.~~ Little sleep tonight. Discovered I was loudy. I seemed to be walking away so had two searches and annihilated whole companies of them Thursday, May 2nd. Weather fine and warm. Up at 9.30. Off day so loafed around hunting crumbs and seeing things. In front of us is an Heinie 8-inch gun and a 5.9 abandoned by him. Broke three springs today. Went for rations and water with hand car. Had springs fixed and went into action. Friday, May 3rd. Weather beautiful. Up at 9.30 am. Hauling ammunition. On wire shoot. Did good work. Had yank officer in to see us and a couple of [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY ~~6 MONDAY [126-239]~~ ~~Rogation Day. Accession, 1910.~~ our officers. Got orders to move our sniper. Pulled her our on flat car to road. Spill on car coming back. Reached battery took over. [1 word] gun. Saturday, May 4th. Weather fine. Getting ready to turn over. Having hard time shagging ammunition. Two guns out tonight. Imperials P relieved us. Handled big bunch of 18 lbs and 4.5 amm. tonight. Sunday, May 5th. Weather fine. had a great sleep. Up at 9.am. This is a grand old war. Heard lots of yarns about the retreat and met Hunt, a fellow I was at Woolwich with. We started to pack amm this morning and slugged 1900[?] rounds before [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_077

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 ~~7 TUESDAY [127-238]~~ ~~Rogation Day.~~ we turned over, pulled our three guns. My shoulders were sore as a boil. Reached wagon lines and pulled out at 12.30 in the rain and dark. It was some time. We had a hard march and reached D- ^ivion at 8 am. We fell asleep in the saddle and had plenty of sudden starts we are supposed to be out on some things and are behind the lines. Our officers gave a fine exhibition One gave one orders and one gave another. They were . It was a beautiful night and as day dawned we saw some beautiful country. We were nearly finished but on reaching our line at 8 am on May 6th. we fed our horses, had breakfast [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY ~~8 WEDNESDAY [128-237]~~ ~~Rogation Day.~~ and dropped asleep. We had a hard job keeping awake in the afternoon but had little to do. Saw the town tonight. Tuesday May 7th. Weather fine. Reveille at 6 am. Am in sargeants' mess and do not have same rush to get meals. It is soft alright. Were due for manoevores at 9 am. but a heavy shower came on and it was called off. At 11 am. We moved off as it cleared and had lunch in the open. It is beautiful where I am sitting, birds singing, many wild flowers and the tress green. Just had lunch. Had some fine riding and jumping. Slept in a French bed with [1 word] There were sheets but the bed was as hard as concrete. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_078

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 9 THURSDAY [129-236] ~~Ascension Day. Half Quarter Day.~~ Coming back from maneuvers saw some pretty scenery. We went trhough country purple with blue-bells and violets and the woods were perfumed by them. Saw Eber Jones tonight. Wednesday. Beautiful weather. Out on maneuvers. There was quite a do up the line last night judging by the noise. Had lunch in a nice wood overlooking ___. It is beautiful country. A plane came tumbling down out of the sky into the woods. A Fritz is up now and being shelled. Thursday May 9th. Weather very hot. On parade, doing driving drill. In afternoon we did the usual amount of harness cleaning. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY ~~10 FRIDAY [130-235]~~ ~~New Moon, 1.1 p.m.~~ Friday May 10th. Weather very hot. Maneuvers as usual. [end pa

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_079

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 11 Saturday [131-234] Hot. Had usual parade. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days May 12 Sunday [132-233] Hot. Half holiday. Went to H~~1 word~~ and saw the sights. We went into an egg and chips joint. We were getting along fine when the madame made a rush for our plates and hid them in a cubboard (sic). We were at a loss to explain. Finally a French M.P. came in. The lady later expained that they were not allowed to sell chips. It reminded me much of a raid on a Chinese lottery house with no one around to when the police got in. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_080

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 13 Monday [133-232] Went to Ab to calibrate. Weather turned wet and we had a most disagreeable time. The trip in the lorries was alright and quite interesting. Had a grand old time seeing the country. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 14 Tuesday [134-231] Weather hot. Usual driving drill. Had some jumping today for the first time in months. Baldy is just as good es ever but Happy shied at the barrier. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_081

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 15 Wednesday [135-230] Scotch Quarter Day. Weather hot. Usual driving drill and harness cleaning. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 16 Thursday [136-229] Weather very hot. Parade. Horses sweat hard. Was in poker game last night and Lomas and I were out of luck so we pooled and were the last pot after they tried to freeze us out. We pulled in 10 f 6 (?). [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_082

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 17 Friday [137-228] Easter Law Sittings end. First Quarter, 8.14pm. Usual parades. Had my picture taken this afernoon. Took in the cinema. It is some place. The French janes have quite a time. We were expecting to go and see the First Army show tonight but unfortunately orders came in that a big inspection was coming off on the morrow and we were ordered to clean harness. There were some fine comment. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 18 Saturday [138-227] All on the hop over the big show. The E.O.C. came around and we were lined up in a field in a boiling sun and sat to attention until we thought our necks would brake. Tonight we went to H to see the concert we missed last night. Our officers arranged to have lorries ready so we were taken down in state and really had a grand time. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_083

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 19 Sunday [139-226] Whitsun Day. Ember Week. Church parade. Weather hot. Half holiday. Went up on a hill in a woods with Conyers (?), Bullen and White and it was delightful. Had a magnificent view of the country, with the village nestling in the valley the aeroplanes taking off and lighting on the green swathe of their aerodrome. The tiled roofs of the tenements, the green crops and numerous wild flowers. It was truly fine. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 20 Monday [140-225] Whit Monday. Bank Holiday. Weather hot. On a grazing parade. Fellows had a [1 word]in a quarry. It was good. Great time up town. Everyone was celebrating. A machine gunner had a fight with a French man; then a chink pulled a knife on a village cut up and was run up the main drag; and two Frenchmen came to blows, landed in the gutter then invited ~~some~~ ~~of the~~ one another to come and have a drink. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_084

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 21 Tuesday [141-224] Whit Tuesday. Weather hot. Harness cleaning. Fritz planes were over after dark and dropped a few bombs, getting some civies. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 22 Wednesday [141-223] Ember Day. Were up at 3.30 am and got prepared to move. Shifted off at 8.30. Weather very hot. Horses sweated heavily. Reached V--at 1.30 and were just about fatigued. Put up horse lines and fed the mokes, then got something ourselves. Slept under a limber. Heavy shower during night. Not a bad dump. Can get a few eggs. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_085

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 23 Thursday [143-222] Weather very windy. Entire section went in as snipers tonight. Heavy rain set in. Have man in clink for poking Harry [1 word]. Had a hot time with him. Slept under a tent. She was a wild night. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 24 Friday [144-221] Empire Day. Ember Day. Got orders to move and pulled out in a rain at 1.30. The horses were shivering and wet. It was a long, cold march and we finally reached our new home at 5 pm. Saw Jim Watson and the Carter boys on the way. After stables broke off. Saw Percy McAdam. Guns went in after supper. On old wagon line at B--- were heavily shelled this afternoon with A.P. and gas. There are a bunch of big guns around these lines. This is Empire Day and if there had been peace it would have been a great day at home. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_086

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 25 Saturday [145-220] Ember Day. Full Moon, 10.32 pm. Shifted wagon lines and are now well off. Kind of short handed. Cleaning harness. Heavy harrassing fire at night. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 26 Sunday [146-219] Trinity Sunday. Queen born, 1867. Church parade. Half holiday. Several ball games were in progress all day. There is plenty of sport going on. I don't know what Fritz thinks when he sees our fellows playing. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_087

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 27 Monday [147-218] Weather hot. Took Quick (?) to M for court-martial. Had to return. Went again in afternoon. Fritz dropped three shells in the baseball park this afternoon and there was plenty of scattering as a game was in progress at the time. Had a premature on E sub today. Stan Thompson killed. Watkins, Lilly, Bomb. De Grosse G. Dixon seriously wounded and Sergt McGrath badly cut. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 28 Tuesday [148-217] Trinity Law Sittings begin. Weather cool. Funeral of Thompson. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_088

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 29 Wednesday [149-216] Weather cool. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days MAY 30 Thursday [150-215] Corpus Christi. Weather cool. Last night Fritz shelled our lines and dropped two shells just over and burst two overhead and our huts were struck many times. Some of the fellows took below ground. Have been working on O-Pip. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_089

Transcript:

[start page] MAY 5th Month 1918 31 Friday [151-214] Weather very warm. Dropped over a bunch of shells. One lit in the road just as I was wrestling a story for the 'O-Pip' and blew stuff everywhere, another hit alongside a house but forntunately was a 'dub'. The people [1 word] more. These shells make an awful swish and put the wind up. [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 1 Saturday [152-213] Interest payable on L5% War Loan, 1929-1947. Weather warm. Nothing doing. Up to the battery to relieve. Have a good position and was just in time to get in on a ballgame. I was put in as pitcher and had a good time. Its a good war right here. Sleep in a bit of a bivy and have a fine place in it. Had some mush from Acab and some tea before going to bed. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_090

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 2 Sunday [153-212] 1st after Trinity. Last Quarter, 4.20 am. Nothing doing all day. Very warm. Played ball and took things easy. Had an ammu train along tonight and it was a fairly soft job. Good sleep now. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 days JUNE 3 Monday [154-211] King born, 1865. Hauling amu all day. Enjoying life. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_091

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 4 Tuesday [155-210] Had to fix up a bunch of gun-pits today. It was very warm and we sure sweated. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 5 Wednesday [156-209] Weather warm. Went to wagon lines on 'O-Pip' and got lots of stuff in. Several shells came over. One got nine fellows at 66th & 60th. Had a good sleep. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_092

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 6 Thursday [157-208] On 'O-Pip' all day. Was sent forward to take over section this evening. Load position, pits and dugouts. Things are looking up. Looks like plenty of work and all that. There was heavy shelling on our left tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 7 Friday [158-207] Weather very warm. Had several shots but otherwise took life easy. Have a 'lovely' officer and had a 9 inspection. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_093

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 8 Saturday [159-206] New Moon, 10.3 pm. Did a bit of shooting. Put a few TM. on perch. They were under shelter of a X red cross sign. We put the chimps up their back. Got on a dugout after shafe 4 Heinies came out. 18 pds. opened up and got them. There was a big shafe tonight. Heinie tried to get over but was badly cut up. There was a terrible lot of stuff going over and somebody got it. It was a grand sight. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 9 Sunday [160-205] 2nd after Trinity. Weather very warm. Put roof on gun-pit. Big g-s shafe tonight 20-160. Put over a big dose and then we did some heavy firing. It was a grand night. We put over a bunch of pills (?). Fritz got a few into our cutting and smashed in the entrance of a dugout of a battery on our left and nearly got [1 word]. A fellow watching a ball game of 52nd was killed by a rifle bullet yest. [end pag

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_094

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 10 Monday [161-204] Ramadan begins. Weather warm. Slept in till noon. Working on gun pit. This' a grand old war if you don't weaken. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 11 Tuesday [162-203] S. Barnabas. Weather fine. Working on pits. Ammunition last night. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_095

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 12 Wednesday [163-202] Weather fine. On gun pits. Nothing much doing. Broke two springs. Did consderable shooting. Harassing fire tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 13 Thursday [164-201] Weather fine. Working on gun pits. Did some firing. Having fairly soft time of it. Had surprise visit of ammunition tonight. Beautiful ~~our~~ daylight raid put over by the L.S. It was a grand sight. The chaplain came over and we had a church service in the cutting. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_096

Transcript:

JUNE 6th Month 1918 14 Friday [165-200] Weather fine. Upt ata 8.30. Was ordered to wagon lines at noon. Took charge of casualty race. Ordered to battery. Detailed to jump 'Baldy'. Was asked to take a commision and made out my papers. Battery in [1 word] of snipers heavily shafed. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 15 Saturday [166-199] Weather fine. Training for Casualty Race and also for jumping. Divisional sports on this afternoon. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_097

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 16 Sunday [167-198] 3rd after Trinity. First Quarter 1.12 pm. Church parade. Padre sore because fellows stopped singing to watch the horses jump. Jumping Baldy. Half a holiday. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 17 Monday [168-197] Weather fine. Plenty of aerial activity. Preparing for casualty race. Nearly got a 'Blighty'. Was stooping over to pick up a pin when a piece of shell-casing struck me full in the place where some people keep their brains and brought me up all standing. It sure stung but did not cut in. Had I been standing up I should most likely have ben beaned. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_098

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 18 Tuesday [169-196] On casualty race all day. Gibson hit. STuckey hit in three places at snipers and when being carried to dressing station two shells came over and the fellows dropped him and the poor fellow nearly died of fright. He is making Blighty. Called before captain today and offered commission which I accepted. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 19 Wednesday [170-195] Casualty race all day. Also did some jumping. Big raid went over to night 2 can. numerous prisoners many dugouts bombed. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_099

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 20 Thursday [171-194] Casualty race. On brigade received a glowing tribute from Scots on effective barrage we put over for round. They say it was the finest they had ever seen. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 21 Friday [172-193] Casualty race. Another big raid tonight. Very effective. Prisoners are coming down every day. WE saw one fellow about 65 years of age the other day and some of them are fine looking chaps. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_100

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 22 Saturday [173-192] Longest Day. Casualty race. Jumping this afternoon and was thrown at a jump for the first time. Baldy straddled the pole and fell in a heap rolling on my left leg and throwing me on my head and left shoulder. I was dazed for a few minutes. Everyone tought I was hurt and Baldy had a broken leg but just to show that everything was O.K. we took the jump a little later. It was a miracle I wasn't hurt. Tonight went down to battery section and after a ball game had big eats. The Canadian mail (delayed) arrived and we had a rare old feed. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 23 Sunday [174-191] 4th after Trinity. Prince of Wales born, 1894. Church parade. Jumping. Plenty of mail. The Scots made a record, putting over a dailight raid getting prisoners, which made three raids in 24 hours. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_101

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 24 Monday [175-190] S. John Baptist. Midsummer Day. Full Moon, 10.38 am. Jumping and casualty race. Had two new jumps today. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 25 Tuesday [176-189] Nothing doing. Lazy time. Jumping and casualty race. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_102

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 26 Wednesday [177-188] Preparing for an inspection by the general. Have Spanish Influenza and 30 men are down with it. Were ordered to leave huts so are sleeping in wet grass so expect some more cases. It is a wicked sickness for a few days. You get a splitting headache, pain all over and lose your appetite. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 27 Thursday [178-187] General did not make inspection after getting up at 5 am and grooming all morning a bluff. Went down with Influenza. Feel rotten. 50 fellows sick now. Dave [1 word] is sick as usual and told us how he picked plums with his girl in Godalming and how he made 20 x on C. [1 letter] two nights ago and then to show what a sport he was went and bought a penny cup of coffee. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_103

Transcript:

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_104

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 28 Friday [179-186] Laid in this morning; feel better. Some chaps pretty bad. Lomas as usual in full of free kidding [1 word] as Mr. Brotherston on my right. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days JUNE 29 Saturday [180-185] S. Peter. Laid in this morning but went on 9 o'clock parade. Paris 'O-Pip' arrived last night so visited all batteries today including DAC. Had fine ride to H--of -- Half holiday. [end page] [start page] (typed insert) Currie's statement to troops in March 29, 1918: 'Where Canadians are engaged there is to be no giving way. Under the orders of your devoted officers in the coming battle, you will advance or fall where you stand. To those who fall, I will say you will not die but step into immortality. Your mothers will not lament your fate but will be proud to have borne such sons. Your names will be revered forever by your grateful country and God will take you unto himself.' [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_105

Transcript:

[start page] JUNE 6th Month 1918 30 Sunday [181-194] 5th after Trinity. Church parade. Orderly sargeant. Went to guns and Btt. to see Inglis. Decided on another 'O-Pip'. Half holiday. Having quite a time in stables these days few men and same number of horses to groom. [end page] 1917 31 Days JULY 1 Monday [182-183] Last Quarter, 8.43 am. Off to see corps sports at T--s. Went down in lorries after a long wait. Met Harry Carrouthers, Gil Parfitt, Ernie Adams, Steve Redgrave, Joe Dokers, Pethwick and a buch of others. Very hot and dusty. Nothing much to eat. [1 word] did some great stunts over the ground. Went back in lorry dead tired. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_106

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7 Month 1918 2 Tuesday [183-182] Weather warm and dusty. Many shells at bat. few days ago. Put over shrapnel, perforating fu huts. Fuze went through Forbes' tunic and shrapnel pelted all places. Switched to eng. killed four men and wounded bunch of others. One shell went into a dugout and exploded under a chap's bed, killed him and wounded another. Piece of shrapnel through a water tank and Ing. shouts 'Heyy look what he does now the silly [1 word]'. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 3 Wednesday [184-181] [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_107

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 4 Thursday [185-180] Weather fine. Had a S.O.S. turn out this morning, harnessed up, hooked in and ready to move off in 11 minutes. It was good time. Had a row with C-- over it. This afternoon Fritz dropped some shells handy. One hitin amongst 100 8-inch and threw them all over the place, some horses killed, five fellows wounded. A Fritz balloon came up close to our line and an archman shot it down in no time. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 5 Friday [186-179] Dividends due. Sports called off indefinitely. No more practicing for a while. Grub getting bad. Mac and bully beef. Its a wonder they don't do away with cooks and serve the meals from the O.M. stores. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_108

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 6 Saturday [187-178] Weather fine. Came up to guns for a spell. Sleeping in a brivy under a piece of trough iron. The other day a fuze from a shrapnel came through. The heavies are easy these days crashing on an O-Pip where life must be a veritable hell. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 7 Sunday [188-177] 6th after Trinity. Fine weather. Nothing to do here but sleep. We cut five bags of hay each day and call in a day's work. Soft alright. Nothing startling. There are a great many poppies on the sides of the valleys. The are a bright crimson and look beautiful. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_109

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 8 Monday [189-176] New Moon, 8.22 am. Weather fine. Nothing happening to startle this dreary world of ours. Have a gramaphone (sic) in the gunpit and keep it going all the day to keep us in good humor. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 9 Tuesday [190-175] Midsummer Fire Insurance ceases. Weather fine. One of our planes brought down a Heinie this morning. He tried to get one of our [1 word] but one of our scouts dropped out of the clouds. Came up forward to releive section. Went to O-Pip with C. and pinched a wagon of H.N. which had a wheel stipped off it last night. Have a great crew, mostly Scotch. Helly and Jeff are always pulling small town stuff. One is from Glasgow and the other from the Highland. [1 word] and Wellman are also up. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_110

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 10 Wednesday [191-174] Weather fine. One of our captive balloons broke loose today. Shelled wagon lines last night dropped down amongst horses. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 11 Thursday [192-173] Nothing startling. Weather overcast and wet. Duty gun did a lot of firing. Relief going on. [1 word] and C. coming in. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_111

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 12 Friday [193-172] Weather fine. Laying about today taking life easy. Expected big attack over for some nights but weather not suitable so have to stand by every night. FRitz chucked over some stuff at us tonight but it all cleared us. Saw Harry Curtis. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 13 Saturday [194-171] Weather fine. Everything going nicely. Did some shooting up. Went to wagon line to play ball this afternoon. Had a good game. Fritz came over with five planes this evening but had a hot reception. They tried for a balloon but the barrage was too heavy. Then they went after some of our observation planes but got the wind up and did not attack. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_112

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 14 Sunday [195-170] 7th after Trinity. Weather wet. Nothing much doing. Had to alter Pip a little. Relieved tonight and of course had ammunition up and said our prayers when the train pulled in at 12.30 [end page] 1918 31 Days JULY 15 Monday [196-169] S. Swithin. Weather fair. Had Canadian mail last night. [1 word] Cream Peaches and Armour (?) last night. Spend some time in 18-pd. pits to get a little knowledge of their work. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_113

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 16 Tuesday [197-168] First Quarter, 6.25 am. Weather very warm. Went to a forward 'O-Pip' for a few days. Its a high place believe me, plenty of lovely smells. It is all underground. We have a jake dugout 30 feet down, which is high although its low. Had good observation. Saw lots of Heinies. There was a beautiful sunset, great sombre could walls. As the sun settled behind it broke through and made a great scene and as I looked I thought I was looking right through to my home in the West. A couple of balloons hung lazily in the heavens and a few planes were buzzing about. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 17 Wednesday [198-167] City and Boro's voters must Pay Poor Rate before 20th or lose vote. Weather good. Our ration party last night was badly shafed and lost some of the rations. ~~1 word~~ Fritz strafed our position. The boys did not get in until after midnight. Was up and cooked breakfast. There was a Heinie squadron over ours having a look at things. We were relieved this evening and returned forward. It was a hot walk down with our kits and he put shells on either side of us. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_114

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 18 Thursday [199-166] Weather good. An off day. Had a bit of a rest. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 19 Friday [200-165] Weather good. Fritz had put on a heavy strafe at 2am and we had to stand to and paste him. The nightmare came also We had ammunition. When someone yells 'Ammunition' just- as you're enjoying a sleep is it any wonder a man says 'damn'. Had gun down today. She looked a wreck. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_115

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 20 Saturday [201-164] Inspection by Dodds. Bowled out by him for not wearing tin (hats?) (pencilled along top of page) Weather fine. Had two stand tos last night and the same old nightmare and to cap it all had an inspection this mronging at 9am. Got two Heinie planes. They tried to get a bus (?) of ours when our fellows dropped out of the clouds and picked them off. Came down this morning to play ball this afternoon. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 21 Sunday [202-163] 8th after Trinity Weather fine. Church service. Had a jake bath in our taverns enamelled bath and then Percy and I went to --- Had a great time in the mess ~~today~~ tonight We all posed as military critics and were figuring out the drive. Heard of a fellow who wanted a Blighty. He left the line and got a piece of shrapnel put in a cartridge loaded a rifle with it and then asked a fellow to shoot at his arm, which he held up. The fellow shot but missed and asked for another chance. The victim was not having any more as he thought the chap might napoo him. Beautiful night bombing raid: many explosions. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_116

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 22 Monday [203-162] Weather very hot. FAtigues. Had argument on war in mess so wrote to Daily Mail for a map. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 23 Tuesday [204-161] Full Moon, 8.35 pm. Weather very wet. Thunderstorms. Cleaning harness. Martin and Cook are two comedians and gave us an interesting time. My back bad again. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_117

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 24 Wednesday [205-160] Weather fine. Inspection this morning. Great row. Harness up the line last ight was expected to be cleaned and it was not. We all love one another all the better. Now. Oh Yes! Stayed in today as my back was pretty bad. Fritz sent over a plane and got one of our ballons. Raid over. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 25 Thursday [206-159] S.James. Weather wet. Cleaning harness all day. ~~Last~~ went over to see Earl Hannington tonight. He is a captain now and we had quite an interesting time. Fritz shelled a balloon and put a slug in it and it gradually exploded and the balloonier jumped for it. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_118

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 26 Friday [207-158] Weather very wet. Cleaning harness all day. Exercise ride went out and got wet to the skin. Tonight we had a farewell for Fluck and Gosgrove, two of our boys who are returning to Canada to study Medicine. We had a piano, guitar and mandolin and a gib gang and dance and sang outside between showers and when the showers came to stay we moved into a hut. Fellows went to B-- for horses tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 27 Saturday [208-157] Weather very wet. July has been very wet indeed. Inspection. Half holiday. Played ball and won 14 - 9 from 61st. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_119

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 28 Sunday [209-156] 9th after Trinity. Weather wet. Had church parade. Half holiday. Saw Cliff MacKitrick and [1 word] [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 29 Monday [210-155] Weather very hot. Got orders about division sport coming off on 10th. So will be getting ready. Heard about [1 word] who in com. of men in trenches in early days went around to see if whale (?) oil was being used. No one had used it but they all sait it was fine. One fellow said he hand't heard of it. He looked up officer and he explained he hand't heard of it. Then his batman came around corner of trench ~~and asked about~~ with a cup of cocoa. He didn't know anything and wanted to know who this man was and officer replied it was a friend of his. He was always kidded about it. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_120

Transcript:

[start page] JULY 7th Month 1918 30 Tuesday [211-154] Last Quarter, 1.14 pm. Weather very warm. All bustling today to be off. Brought out g tonight. Fritz is putting over a lot of gas forward just now and we are lucky to get away. So here's hoping. Had a jake bath tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days JULY 31 Wednesday [212-153] Trinity Law Sitting ends, Annual and Nov. to July Game Certificates and Gun Licences expire. Weather very warm. Were ready to pull but got orders to stand by and are gaming a little sleept today. Had all the vehicles packed last night so sleep was next to impossible as we expected an early reval which didn't come. We have only stables to do. Got orders to shift tonight and rumors is rife as to where we are going. At midnight pulled out and when hitting A.P. road just missed by bombs. A Heinie plane was running wild. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_121

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 1 Thursday [213-152] Lammas Day. After hanging around all night we pulled into A and were forced to wait two hours for our train. We pinched a Frenchmen's hay for our horses and lumber for a fire, so we're not too badly off in the cold, damp, early hours. Loaded our horses and vehicles and climbed aboard ourselves after trying ou a canteen.Had a fine train trip saw some new chountry and pulled into B-- at 5.15 and after unloaded set out on a 15-kilo march to C. It was dusk when we reached a big wood. We were dirty and dusty and mighty tiered. The cooks lighted a big fire to make tea and a Heinie plane came over and let go his tail. He [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 2 Friday [214-151] --- just missed our camp but got from Imperial. Slept under a limber tonight. (this section is written at bottom of second page) Heavy rain all day. The wood is a nasty place and we were supposed to clean harness. We oiled the steel and flet her rip. Put up a tarp to sleep under. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_122

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 3 Saturday [215-150] Still raining. Mud ankle deep everywhere. Oiling harness and doing odd jobs. Got orders to pack amu and move wagon lines. As soon as the packs were away we shifted and putup lines on a road side under a long line of trees, and close to a river L. We hear we are in for a big time and are all keen on getting mixed up in something. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 4 Sunday [216-149] 10th after Trinity. Fourth Anniversary of the war. The boys who were packing last night got in at 7 am. It a long pack and hard going. Heavy jam of trusfire (?) on the main drag. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_123

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 5 Monday [217-148] Bank Holiday. Bunch of [1 word] breezed in last night and parked in our old gun park. Busy all day. Went up the line are off duty all day so as to give them a chance to rest. Got orders to go in with gun tonight. Heavy rain and mud and going very heavy. Put guns in and slugged amu. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 6 Tuesday [218-147] New Moon, 8.30 pm. Mud very bad and rain still falling. Working hard all day on positions. Have battery of 6 in behind us and expect them to raise the dead. A platon which came in with us last night was hit by a shell and 16 killed and bunch wounded. Great stream of packs and wagons up line with amu. Two gn. in tonight. FRitz strafed us heavily and got some men. Bit talk of a fight. Everyone in fine spirits. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_124

Transcript:

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_125

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 ~~9 Friday~~ [221-144] Aeroplanes flashed to and fro dropping information and fighting and bombing. At 7 am the guns were shifting up and [1 word] going [1 word] in great numbers. We got Fritz by surprise alright. Hundreds of p[1 word] coming down; also [1 word]. At noon the balloons shifted up and passed us. We were pinching souveniers of the Heinies. Got orders to shift to new wagon lines and pulled out through C-- to H. would. Which was No Men's Land this morning. Great reports coming in. Fritz bombed our lines tonight but got no one. Went for walk over battlefield Many Fritzie dead and some of our own Doubled tanks. Rum (or run?) Issue. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST ~~10 Saturday~~10 th One chap salvaged a tin of insect powder ~~and~~ labelled in German, and thought it was shaving powder. In change of guard tonight. Heavy bombing. 10th. Weather clear and hot. Got orders to move up and pulled out after a hurried meal. Made about 10 miles and have all [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_126

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 ~~11 Sunday~~ [223-142] 11th after Trinity. Half Quarter Day. kinds of Heinie guns, some of which had been turned around and fired on heini. Saw line where car went in to action. [1 word] old tanks. Lined up in an open field for lunch and saw some good air fights. 7 our planes down. One Heinie came over us and we expected to be machine gunned. Major went ahead and made reconnaissance. Ringwood killed in Ronroy. Took guns in this afternoon and then came back to F for wagon lines. [1 word] harnessed all night. One w. l. one well forward. Heini [1 word] rows in rear. 11th Early morning call for amu up line. Bubbles killed Had to go for amu so started [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST ~~12 Monday~~ [224-141] Grouse Shooting begins. on long job early and saw French artillery in action. Saw lots of Heinie amu. On way in saw strife. Im. went over to take P. and the artillery pout over a great barrage and the tanks supported. No success. Saw the staff watching battle through glasses then get down and eat. Great sight A 4.1 just missed the tail of our column. At noon got orders to advance so hooked in an went forward but owing to [1 word] we had to return to wagon lines. Disappointed. Heinie came over and shot down a balloon. Bunch of 13 injured by bombs. Horses killed. Fritz counter-attacked.Moved down. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_127

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 12 ~~Tuesday [225-140]~~ Weather terribly hot. [1 word] hauling amu all last night. Fellows sleeping in this morning. Nothing doing. Grazing parade this afternoon. Wagon lines shelled by 8 which [1 word] got ~~made~~ horses off to a flank before anything happened. [1 word] for an hour and a half. Canadians bombed their way into Pan today. Now Fritz must move again. One shell hit near BOH w h. and everyone went for cover. One chap tumbled into the B.S.M. and told him there was a horse loose and the S.M. posted (?) a nice compliment. A driver up th eline saw a person standing off doing nothing so he chatted to them [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST ~~14 Wednesday [226-139]~~ First Quarter, 11.16 pm. to come and hold his horses. He did not hear so he shouted a second time. This time the party did as ordered. It was the captain. Again chat shouted to the cap one dark night to give a hand to shift a gun. 14th. Weather hot. Teams hauling amu. Cleaning harness. Grazing parade. Plenty of grub today. Took Paro-s tting this morning. Brought ammunition in. Got orders to change over so came up to guns. Fritz put over gas to night, so we muzzled ourselves. There was heavy bombing tonight. Many bombs in R--y wood. Planes dropping ground flare which make a great light and light up a large portion of country. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_128

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 15 Thursday [227-138] Weather very hot. Working stripped to waist. Fired a short strafe tis morning for infantry. Some prisonders came down today. Nothing startling all day. [2 words] at w.l. had premature tonight. Three wounded. Fritz shelled their battery and set charges on fire but crew kept on. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 16 Friday [228-137] Weather very hot. We are now on ground from where we made our 16 drive. Both sides are doing a lot of firing. Many splinters are flying about. We are shooting up (?)--e wood. There is some hard fighting just now as Fritz has a lot of machine guns in place. Our battalion so the story goes took 200 prisoners and sent them to rear. On way Heinies came across some potatoe(sic)-masher bombs and cleaned up all cut [1 word] of escorts 1 plt. and escaped. Got orders to stand to to advance this afternoon but this was cancelled. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_129

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 17 Saturday [229-136] Wagon lines in old gun pits. Weather very warm. Orders came to move forward. Gun lines came up and R.S. moved forward about a mile in a trench. We got the gun in and almost immediately opened fire. The whole artillery was blazing away, including several batteries of captive Heinie guns. There is a terrible lot of metal going over his way and life must be miserable. Prisoners say it is almost unbearable. They are glad to be taken. Heinie came back at us with some 5. 9's 4.1's and w.b. One 4.1 instantaneous tuze dropped just in front of our pit and it is a miracle how we escaped. We did not hear it coming but all did a flop anyway. Kind of got the wind up. Had am S.O.S. and caught Fritzin the wire. He slopped there. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 18 Sunday [230-135] 12th after Trinity. Weather very hot. We are right after Heinie. There is no next for him. The artillery pound him and the infantry stick him. There is an awful smell of dead. Some of the Imperials who fell in the retreat have not been buried yet. Did some good shooting on an 'O-Pip' and section was complimented. Went through stranded tanks this evening. There are 11 of them on the road put out in 32nd attack. Went down and looked at his 4.2 naval gun (?) which is strafing [1 word] on the Somme. Also saw 5.9 balloons and some 4.2 guns. Its rotten to be strafed by your own guns. Fritz sent over some shells and the splinters fell thick and fast but was lucky. One of Fritz's planes slipped over and copped a balloon tonight. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_130

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 19 MONDAY [231-134] Weather cool. Machonochies (?) and bully beef with H.T. today and a dress inspection at 10.30 ao I guess the offensive is over. They are sure signs. Fritz is paying attention to 51 Bat. To our right, dropping [1 word] shells around them. We are getting lots of splinters. Stood to on 'O-Pip' tonight and was sent forward to observe fire. We sure have put some holes in it. Fritz [1 word] the line tonight. Put over shafe on our right, then on left and then opened up on us. He didn't get anywhere. We put over a terrible fire. There was a deafening roar. He was shut up. Had barraging fire tonight and put over barrage this morning. Am damn tired. Expect to move. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 20 Tuesday [232-133] Black Game Shooting begins. Weather overcast. Barging getting amu down the line. Nothing startling today. This evening saw one of our planes collide with one of our 6-inch shells and after a heavy detonation the planes fell like a plummet to the earth in R-y wood. Both flyers were dead. Beautiful night. The moon is full and it is as light as day. On gas guard from 10.20 to 11.40 pm Horrid smell of the dead. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_131

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 21 Wednesday [233-132} Year since we left Witley. Came down from guns to get sub ready for more. Pulled amu out and as our wagons were going down 51st were hauling up. Fritz is shelling his big dump ~~and~~ on a main road very hearty at ight. Guns came out. After watering and feeding horses and getting two hours sleep pulled out. Hit dirt track and past through ~~has~~ De(?) finally reaching Hamwood at 6 am. Watered and fed and turned in till noon. The march last night was dusty and many a chap came to ~~on a~~ with a jerk in the saddle. It was hard to keep awake. Pulled a six horse team of mules for first time. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 22 Thursday [234-131] Full Moon, 5.2 am. Very hot day. Impossible to sleep. One chap went into wood to sleep, made his bed, crawled in and took a look around. He saw a hand sticking up quite close. It was Heinie so he left toute ae suite. Got orders to leave at 7.30 pm and were on the road again. Through Han--g on to A.R. road. Met Steve Cheeseman. Terrible duest and weather hot. Passed through several delapitated and deserted towns. It seemed a shame to see B--s empty. Saw a nurse on the road and we nearly and (sic) fell over. First white lady we'd seen in months. Beautiful moonlight. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_132

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 23 Friday [235-130] Pulled into Pde at 3 am. Pitched horse lines and watered and fed. Were hollered by a new officer who wanted harness squared up. He got it done. Yes! Up at 8 am. and paraded at 9. Nothing doing. Right on River la S--e so went swimming and lay around getting sunburnt. Went up town and had eggs and chips and fruit. Enjoyed day immensely. We need a rest as we have been hard at it for three weeks. Went to Satoquel and filled up on oranges, peaches, bananas, plums and grapes. Shee! but they were good. Turned in at 9 and took of pants for first time ~~since~~ this month. O.M.S. Harragin went down line today. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST 24 Saturday [236-129] S.Bartholomew (Massacre, 1572). Weather overcast. Orders to move so at 9 am with galead horse and off's kits we moved to S-(?) ~~were~~ where we entrained for where no one knew. We drew nothing but our iron rations but bought sirup, biscuits milk and chocolates so lived pretty good. No is had a first class compartiment S.M. Told Glenn, who had whistled the Marseilles and who tries to talk French that he was the best whistler of French he had ever heard. Dixon told of how Legg jipped him for 4 Francs for a cure of scabies. Said he had a bottle of it bought at A--y for 10 f (?) made of Nytholatum and some thing better than iodine. It was only iodine and water. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_133

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 25 Sunday [237-128] 13th after Trinity Reached A--y at 6 last night. Detrained. S.M. had a short fall and dropped vehicles off in bad style. One wagon body turned over. Went to w. lines at outside Savy. Turned in for sleep at 11.30 pm. At 1.30 we were awakened and ordered to hook in. Did so and moved off at 2. Terribly cold, but good moon. Fritz's bombs ~~came~~ dropped close by. Herded in direction of ~~1 word~~ and pulled into a field on the road side and pitched lines. Don't know what's in the wind. This evening got orders to go into action and took guns in in front of railroad embankment. Coming home got caught in a drenching rain [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST ~~26 Monday [238-127]~~ and got wet to the hide. We heard we were rushed up this morning to get into a show but itw as postponed for a day. Went to sleep in a saddle blanket under a tarp during a heavy rain. Rations today were rotten slice of bacon for breakfast and nothing but H.T. and B.B. and tea for other meals. One loaf to six. Aug. 26. Weather wet. Reveille at 2.30 am. Heard barrage open at 3 am. heavy roar. We are putting over smoke in front of M. Gun limbers left at 4 am and wagons followed. We are going over after infantry in close support. Had a slight rush but made it jake. Pulled up through A--s and at the [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_134

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 ~~27 Tuesday [239-126]~~ cemetery halted and saw first of the wounded and prisoners coming down. Got some souveniers. WEnt to rendezvouz and met guns, which had been loaned to 3 to put over S.B. Fritz dropped some shells while we were waiting. When the guns ~~were in pa~~ joined us we moved forward along Cemetery Road and went into action behind a ridge. While waiting in a field for establishing wagon lines Fritz forced us to move by his harrassing fire. One Heinie prisoner was an Alsation and was forced into the war. His uncle is a captain in the French army. He was only in the line three days and when he refused to fire his officer threatened to choke him. Drenching rain [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST ~~28 Wednesday [240-125]~~Last Quarter, 7.27 pm started to full at 11 am and we got wet to the hide. Saw [1 word] and relieving infantry pass over the crest to the attack. The lads shelled from the rear on the sides of the tanks. The infantry boys are the brave men. Heaps of aeroplanes are flying about despite the bad weather. Infantry say the barrage was a peach but they didn't know what to make of the smoke. They thought Fritz was pulling something. Established wagon lines on the side of a hill, which was fortunate for us. Got line up when order came to haul ammunition. I had to take f.l. wagons to dump and just missed being hit. A high [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_135

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 29 Thursday [241-124] velocity shell skinned my head and burst on the side of the road, hurling me and my horse across a trench. Neither of us were hit by any stell but things fell very handy. The team escaped also. Fritz strafed our battery heavily this afternoon but casualties were light. Bill McRae went down with a piece in his elbow. Chick, a new signaller, was hit in the abdomen. One of our teams ran over a dud and it fired. The fuze went through John Clark's thigh. The S.M. who rolled on by his horse and went down with a sprained ankle. Shell lit in 21 lines and blew up six horse team, wounding [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days AUGUST ~~30 Friday [242-123]~~ S.M. and three others. Aug. 27th Weather warm with occasional showers. Managed to sleep from 9 till 6 and really needed it but had to remain almost fully dressed. Took Mon--y yesterday and are well passed (sic) it today. Everything is going fine. Frit'z harrasing fire is making things disagreeable. Had the morning off and also this afteroon. STill shafing the Boche. Aug. 28th Weather wet and miserable. Had to haul amu to guns and then proceeded to dump. One H.V. shell burst quite handy to us and got three mules. Another got seven 3 boys. We were very fortunate only one chap getting hit. After filling up our ~~1 word~~ [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_136

Transcript:

[start page] AUGUST 8th Month 1918 ~~31 Saturday [243-122]~~ skipped up to the guns by the Cemetery Road and missed shelling. Found a canteen on the way and invested a few francs. Canteen with fruit, biscuits and chocolates, are a welcomed sight. On wagon to gun saw premature in 51st. Another on 18.pd.battery. This afternoon got orders to advance and limbers went up. The R.S. pulled out but only advanced 50 yards when orders came in to return to old position, which we did. Battery had S.O.S. and fired 700 rounds. Appears battalion on left which should have advance with Pats at [1 word] did not go over. Wagon lines nearly getting heavily shelled. Fritz is crossfiring on us and making [end page] [start page] 1918 20 Days SEPTEMBER ~~1 Sunday [244-121]~~ ~~14th after Trinity~~ things quite disagreeable. O'Neill went down the line tonight. Bell has also gone down. Amu up tonight. August 29. Weather warm. Fellow up line most of night as little doing this morning. At 6.30 heavy strafe opened on our left. Took Pelons yesterday. Crossfire should be relieved by advance on left. Lying about all morning. Fritz came over to get our balloons but missed his mark and slipped back through heavy barraage. Balloonists jumped. Got orders to go ahead this evening and accordingly pulled out. Took a terrible road and nearly dumped gun several times. Through shell holes and over trenches. Took guns up ravine, which has been [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_137

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~2 Monday [245-120]~~ ~~Partridge Shooting begins.~~ heavily shelled by our heavies. Put guns in a bad hole and was coming out and just missed by a shell. Four horses were hit. One trace was cut in four places. Two horses C-sub killed. Hauling amu most of night. Aug. 30th. Weather good. Hauling amu ~~tonight~~ this morning. The horses are having a hard time of it being on the go continously but depsite their inadequate feed they are holding up well. The drivers are doing magificent work. Putting in long hours in the saddle and getting in and out of some bad holes as well as being subjected to a certain amount of shell fire. Even the [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~3 Tuesday [246-119]~~ officers have been forced to admire the work of the drivers. They have not had a night's clear rest in many weeks. But they do not complain. You can't beat our drivers. Two six-horse teams out again tonight hauling till daylight to a new point! John Helmcken went down line with trench fever. Cook, a gunner in my sub, was hit in the hand and went down today. Aug. 31st. Drizzling rain. No 1's changed over today! Went into [1 word] position. Saw several whizz bang guns captured by 4 CNRs and looked over their mechanism. There is a great quantity of amunition here: Fritz had a bunch of big guns on here until we shelled him out [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_138

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~4 Wednesday [247-118]~~ but he left a great deal of amu. In some places it forms a road. Went forward and saw Mon--y. Nothing doing. Artillery is quiet although infantry is forging ahead. Ammunition came up again this morning. Ritchie Rossborough was killed this morning. One of his horses Bllighty from my sub was badly wounded. Auston was wounded. Two horses killed, two wounded. Boys were up with amu and left on a road and Fritz got a line on them and it was good night. got orders to go forward in the morning so turned in at 9 pm. Sept. 1st (Sunday) --- [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~Thursday [248-117]~~ ~~New Moon, 10.44 am.~~ Weather fine with occassional shower. Left main position at 3.30 pm and proceeded forward through Mon--y, which has been levelled to ground by our shells. It was quite a bit of satisfaction to pull over the famous chest, which had always been a worry to us owning to its commanding position for observation. Hit along a road and missed a few fast shells. which burst on roadside. Swing off to left and went into forward section position. Left an officer pit and were directed to find our new gun position. We headed on and at 5 am reached sunken road and pulled out. On way [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_139

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~6 Friday [249-116]~~ in saw lot of dead horses and recognized 'Bobs' another of my horses was killed outright and his mate had to be shot. Behan, their rider, was wounded. Bomb. Morris went down line yesterday. Not doing anything today. Went out for a salvage hunt and went through several concrete dubout and saw all kind of stuff but the infantry has salvaged most of the souveniers. We got a couple of huge mirrors and shaved in hot water and had a good look at ourselves in the mirrors. Oh! Were some sports today. Found a lot of new Heinie helmets and use them for wash bowls. We are in the village of B--y and it has [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~Saturday [250-115]~~ ~~Jewish Year 5679 begins~~ been badly battered by our guns. He planted a whizz bang quite handy knocking down the ~~gun~~ wall in front of no. Got guns on line and stood ease, wrote a couple of letters. Other guns in tonight. Had fair sleep. Sept. 2nd. Weather fine Up at 4.30 am. Barrage opened at 5 am and there was some way behind 4th. While barragew as in a battalion of Heinies came down the road. They surrendered. Finished barrage at 8 and gun team came up so hooked in and moved up. Saw prisoners and wounded coming down. Hit A.C. wood and saw all sorts of casualties horses and mules and men. Went to place of assembly got orders to go in. Took up position in hollow behind [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_140

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~8 Sunday [251-114]~~ ~~15th after Trinity.~~ D--y. Got [1 word] in when Fritz opened up on us. Major came back and told ut to limber up and get out. The shafing was heavy and R.S. got clean, but shell lit right in among F.B. team. Have to couple of holes in it. We limbered up and got out miraculously and L.S. just got over ridge when a couple of 4.1's burst. We sure had horseshoes. Got into new positon. Shafing going on all over. A whizz bang did in front of A sub and cut of Bomb. Wright foot broke Goran's leg and wounded a new man who only joined us a few days ago. Dug guns in a little and am sleeping in a junk pit. We got one of Fritz's [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~9 Monday [252-113]~~ balloons and he sneaks over after one of ours but the barrage was two hot. Five planes came down in flames near as including two of our observation bases. A horrid death for all concerned. Sept. 3rd. Weather fine. Up most of night handling amu Had to get in big supply. Drivers were up all night. Fritz's fire is less active today as during the night he fell back 2000 yards. His wizz-bang battery of four guns which did so much dirty work yesterday also left during the night. Our obys were due to go over but as he fell back it was unnecessary. 60 pds and six-inch pulled in alongside us and are strafing Fritz. A Heinie plane came over and [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_141

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~10 Tuesday [253-112]~~ tried to get one of our ballon. Again the barrage was too hot. An hour later a plane dropped out of the clouds and popped two of our balloons which fell in flames. The observers decended in parachutes. Were heavily strafed all afternoon. The shells were bound for the A.C. road but a lof of them fell short. One just missed our amu dump and blew our wheelbarrow full of holes. It was simply a case of up and down for we would not sooner get up than we'd have to duck again as we had to cover. All the batteries started to move up and he opened an awful fire and there were some mighty lucky escapes. Six-horse teams were making some [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~11 Wednesday [254-111]~~ pretty fast time on the dirt track. At dusk our time came to move just in a lull in the shelling and we hit the road going in on the south side of D--y in an old Fritz trench. We had just got the teams away when we heard the drone of a Fritz plane and knew what to expect. Bombs: Whang! Whang!! Two just in front! Down we went. Whant! just in rear. Down again. Danger passed we resumed our work while Fritz kept dropping his bombs farther back. Fritz was bombing and shelling all night and some Imperials who had there wagon lines just in rear of us had a hard time. Two men were killed and more wounded and 25 horses [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_142

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~12 Thursday [255-110]~~ killed. His observation planes were over this morning and saw the Imperial and opened fire. Sept. 4th. Weather fine. Fritz strafed Imperial. There was some rush. A number of infantry were hit on road last night. Had the advantage of hearing the shells going over which shafed us yesterday. They make a weird singing. We slept in a big Heinie dugout last night. It must have been a Q.M. store for there was all sorts of Heinie clothing and equipment. This morning a lot of our fellows were wearing Heinie boots, using his mess tins shooting his Mausers at aeroplanes and ramsacking his stuff. It is a great place [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~13 Friday [256-109]~~ ~~First Quarter 3.2 pm.~~ for salvaging. O Ym. C. opened up quite handy so we are having strawberries and cream, smoking cigars, and eating bisuit and chocolates. Found one of Heinies anti-tank guns. It is a Mauser and shoots an enlarged rifle cartridge. Had a Heinie prisoner pass this morning. He was a student type with thick eyeglasses and was found in a cellar. He spoke French and told us that this was a captialist war and that the peasant had to suffer and that as soon as the Kaiser was strung up the war would finish. A bunch of French civies were repatriated when the Canadians [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_143

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~14 Saturday [257-108]~~ took a town ahead yesterday. The German ordered them to leave but they hid in cellars. Expected to go foward ~~last~~tonight but did not do so. Had pears and cream for supper. Oh! We're doing fine. Sept. 5th. Weather fine. Owing to the sky being cloudy there was no bombing last night. Fritz got another balloon yesterday. Today he got two balloons on our south. The weather turned very warm this afternoona nd there was an awful stench from the dead horses. From where we have our little brivy one can see five captured trench mortars, [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER 15 Sunday [258-107] 16th after Trinity. Ember Week. two tanks with their caterpillars stripped, a damaged observation plane, 28 dead nokes, the [1 word] windmill remains and all kinds of artillery. We were unloading amu this afternoon when he strafed us with shrapnel and made things unpleasant. The team got away safely. The P.tell a story of how they were fooled at a windmill which was a nest of machine guns. They rushed the place and after lining up the 50 prisoners a Heinie officer pulled out a revolver and shot our own officer. The party was soon dispersed by the Canadians. There was no need of an escort [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_144

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~16 Monday~~ Sept. 6th. Weather warm. Nothing startling. Men went forward this morning to dig new position. Fellows were telling us about the Yankee plane which fell on 2nd as we were coming in. The pilot was in a fight and a bullet went through his side. He made a good landing but struck a shell-hole and fell on his nose. He lit a cigarette and seemed O.K. Just missed one of our H.Q horses coming down. Also told of day Rossborouth was hit. Wanted a home shot and Imperial wouldn't do a thing to help. [1 word] wanted a revolver but Imperial hand't one. Finally went to a colonel in the dressing station and [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~17 Tuesday [260-105]~~ asked him for a revolver, but he said he had one. Then a fellow siad 'Bring him in here.' Oh 'Yes! He'll get a Blighty.' The blokes didn't want him left there as they would have to bury him... A Fritz plane slipped over and shot downone of our balloons at noon. His planes have been playing havoc with our ~~boys~~ balloons lately. OUr balloons come up very close and se seems to have a couple of special balloon experts and they do good work. One of our balloonists had a narrow escape yesterday. When he jumped his parachute did not clear and there he remained entangled in the burning [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_145

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~18 Wednesday [201-104]~~ balloon. One minute the raging fire was above him, the next when the parachute opened he was suspended above it. The weight of the balloon carried him rapidly to earth but a bunch of R.A.P. men caught him before he hit the ground. He was slightly scroched but otherwise O.K. At 10 o'clock today just as we were figuring on getting dinner we heard a great roar overhead. It was notone of our barrage and not one of Fritz. It was one from the Storm King. It roared and barked and down came the rain in torrents. We took refuge under our bivy and had the officers in with us. It was amusing to see [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~19 Thursday [262-103]~~ Mac and S hiding under one coat. As a gust of rain would bring the rain under they would amuse us. The water poured down both entrances to the dugout and flooded the place thighdeep. There were kits floating everywhere and officers were shouting for batmen to salve (?) their equipment. My blanket flooded about until the water subsided somewhat. Got orders to move forward and teams were due at dusk. Just before dusk Fritz opened up with 5.9's on the cross road and everyone disappeared. A water cart was practically blown over and the driver was killed by his horse rolling on him. During a lull in the strafe our teams slipped in [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_146

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~20 Friday [263-102]~~ ~~Ember Day. Full Moon, 1.1 pm.~~ and we limbered up and got out. Jostled by soe big guns and just got clear when Fritz opened up again on the C.R.s. We hit cross country and dodged some bombs, skirted O--d--t and finally landed up alongside a wood. We were held up as two of our wagon teams slipped off one of the bridges into the river, and we had to pull them out. We had some trouble while we were engaged in the task Fritz opened up a heavy strafe. We unlimbered the guns and got the teams away. Our gun team behaved splendidly. Jones a new signaller, got a Blighty in the leg and we dressed him and sent him down on the G.S. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~21 SAturday [204-101]~~ S.Matthew. Ember Day. wagon. Put the guns in the wood and retired in a cellar. Did gas guard and unloaded amu. ~~Sept.~~ It was a good anniversary of our pull into Leo-- Sept. 7th. Up early to camouflage. Potter and Hodden hit carrying amu. Bill Forbes, one of my limber-gunners got jammed between a wheel and the perch and has gone down the line. We have as our living quarters a huge chateau, which is three stories in height, but we prefer the cellar for obvious reasons. This must have been a magnificent home in peace times but it has been under German [1 word] for four years. It has been [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_147

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~22 Sunday [265-100]~~ ~~17th after Trinity.~~ a Heinie H.Q. and judging from the luxuries they had they must have hated to leave it. There are big enamelled baths and shower rooms; iron bed-steads in large and commodious bedrooms; and great mirrors, which we used for shaving this morning and a room full of soda-water as well as many chairs, tables and sofas. Percy was over to E.St.Q and got some shirts and souveniers. Fritz has observation on this place as we have to lay low. Have had half a loaf of bread the last three days so we're winning alright. We got news that we were due to pull out this evening and were certainly glad to [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~23 Monday [266-99]~~ ~~Autumnal Equinox.~~ hear it. In the afternoon Fritz shafed our chateau and made it untenable so we were glad to get away. Imperials relieved us at 8 pm we hit for a rear position and then I came on to wagon lines. Sept. 8th. Sunday. Weather fari with occassional showers. The horse lines are amongst a bunch of shell holes. There is little doing as the guns are not of action so are having a bit of a rest. Had church service tis evening and sacrement. Sept. 9th. Had a good sleep last night. Heavy rain this afternoon. Sept. 10th. Weather doubtful. Great news this morning. We had a bath and as it was we stoood in the open under [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_148

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~24 Tuesday [267-98]~~ showers with the wind blowing hard. However we got six week's dirt off and a clean suit of underwear. Things are quiet just now. Its not a bad rest but we would like to get a square meal somewhere. Still the grub is not too bad. 51 badly shelled town and had 15 casualties. Sept. 11th. Weather rotten. Heavy showers all day. This is my 25th birthday. We are having things easy. Just do stable parades. Glen tells us about building bridges at Rum (?): When G had him looking his gang all over all men ordered salvaging then started to rain and [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~25 Wednesday [268-97]~~ ordered to clear out chats (?). When cleared up bridges to be ~~cleared~~ built whether rain or shells came. Got a big log that made men tremble to look at and he ordered them to bring it over so that he could have a look at it. Sept. 12th. Weather rotten. The mud is fierce and one no ~~one~~ sooner starts to do anything than down comes the rain. The horses are suffering from the exposure. We have found some good canteens and get plenty of canned fruit and biscuit. The only benefit of this weather is the freedom from night bombing. Sept. 13th. Friday. Weather clearing up. Starting in to clean harness so I guess our new offensive [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_149

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~26 Thursday [269-96]~~ is over again. Fritz sneaked over in the clouds and got a balloon this evening. Sept. 14th. Weather turning clear and fair. Cleaning harness all day. Limber up to pull guns up. Fritz came over and went after a balloon and when he shot the thing blew up. It was a dummy and loaded with an explosive. This Fritz waviator has 30 odd balloons to his credit and they wanted to get him. Unfortunately he wasn't hit but I guess he had a good scare. Sept. 15th. Sunday. Weather very fine. Had church service this morning. Heinie came over and got two balloons before [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~27 FRiday [270-95]~~ ~~Last Quarter, 4.39 am.~~ breakfast He came back at noon with a squadron and while they attracted the barrage towards one balloon this Heinie specialist sped over and got another balloon. ANother Fritz went through the barrage and fired. He missed and tried to get through again but spied one of or planes above him and sat on his tail and made him rock. This afternoon Fritz got another balloon and this evening slipped over and got another. Our planes came over and forced the Heinie down. Jake weather. Sept. 16th. Weather fine. Fritz was over bombing last [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_150

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~28 Saturday [271-94]~~ night and dropped some close to us. One lit in a shell hole along side E F Sub and Perforated their bivy. Marriott wounded. Cleaning harness all day. Laid up with a boil. McKee wounded. Sept. 17th. During the night we had a ~~1 word~~wicked thungerstorm and we throught our bivy would come down. The wind was violent and the rain a regular cloudburst. The lightning and thunder was very low. Harness cleaning today. Heavy shelling of sixtieth lines. First bunch away on Blighty leave. Main(?), Glenn; Atkinson, Campbell and Dalziel. Fritz got a balloon. Sept. 18th. Weather fair with showers. Because a battery [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days SEPTEMBER ~~29 Sunday [272-93]~~ 18th after Trinity. ~~S.Michael & All Angels.~~ Michaelmas Day. lines close to use had casualties last night we were forced to move our lines today. Had an awful time pulling out of some of the holes and both my wagons had a hard time. Shifted back and came up ont he side of a bleak hill It did look beautiful. We got the horses tied up and converted a few shell-holes into bivy and went to sleep. Sept. 19th. Fair weather. Cleaning harness all day. Expected to pull out but did not. Nothing startling outside of Fritz getting a balloon which is an unsual occurrance just now. Sept. 20th. Weather fair with occassional showers. Cleaning [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_151

Transcript:

[start page] SEPTEMBER 9th Month 1918 ~~30 Monday [273-92]~~ up. Anticipated move. ~~Heavy ra~~ very cold last night. The chalk is hard and damp. A soft bed would look good right now. Guns came out. Bobbie Robertson got his leg broken and his namesake Robertson was run over. Heavy shelling. Martin entertains. Going to heaven on Toby and enters. St. Peter turns out the guard. Gets four months leave before getting fatigues of hanging out moon and stars and brushing away the clouds after a rain. If Fritz shells he is going to harness up Toby and Shiny and beat it. Sept. 21st. Hanging around all day cleaning harness, etc. and having an easy time. The rain still keeps us damp. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~1 Tuesday [274-91]~~ ~~Pheasant Shooting begins.~~ Sept. 22nd Sunday. Weather not bad. Big things always seem to happen in this country on Sunday. We got orders to move and at 6.30 pulled out for forward. Our easy times are over again for a time. We passed through Ch---y and on to Hud---x where we turend off into a barren field and at 9.30 strung horse line and put up for night. Used shell-holes to sleep in. Sept. 23rd. Weather damp. Busy pulling up horse lines and bivies. Rain squalls this afternoon. Plenty of mud. Got order to pack tonight so turned out all our packs. Fellows had a hard time getting lost in the dark The [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_152

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~2 Wednesday [275-90]~~ going was very heavy. Fifteen fellows up for office for late on parade and got 2 extra picquet. The way of the [1 word] is hard. Sept. 24th. Got orders to proceed on leave. Nothing much doing. Getting ready for some kind of a show. Packing ammunition. I went up with pack train tonight and after making forth trip in got orders to pack smoke. Got back to lines at 4.30 am (25th) and had a hard night. Walked about 20 miles. Were gassed and heavily shelled. Fritz seemed to be after my Blighty Leave. He nearly got us with several Rubber shells. Sept. 25th. Got leave warrant and decided to [1 word] [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~3 Thursday [276-89]~~ ~~Charles Letts's Diaries for 1919 published~~ [1 word] de suite. Bill Newton and I accordingly departed at 1.30 pm from wagon lines after wishing everyone the best of luck in the next show and feeling more or less releived at missing it. Got an R.A.Z. lorry and whirled into A--s. Decided to pu as many miles as possible between us and the line as possible (sic) so by a succession of lorries we reached St P and ran into Bill, brother, who took us up to his place, provided us with a bath and clean clothes. Then we had supper in the officers mess and generally had a soft time. Sleeping between sheets tonight. What luxuries. I'll bet they are cold. We have a [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_153

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~4 Friday [277-88]~~ gramophone playing. We are staying in a French mansion and the house is luxurious. We are lucky lads. We expected to be sleeping in an old box or in the railway sheds. We have two pianos, oil paintings to gaze at and cigarettes to smoke and good eats. No horses, pack train ammuntion to worry about tonight and no Reveille at 6 in the morning. Its a great war. We have no caldes tonight. Electric light. Sept. 26th. Weather fine. Had a good sleep ad a good breakfast. Caught the train at 10.30 am for Boulogne. We got seated in comfortable first class coaches and were thinking we were too comfortable when [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~5 Satuday [278-87]~~ Dividens due. New Moon 3.5 am. a chap came along and ordered us into another train. Here a box car was our lot. Just our luck. Reached Boulogne at 4.30 and were taken to Rest Billets and fed and after a short walk around lay down ont he boards to get a little sleep, using my British warmer for a blanket. Sept. 27th. Weather fine. Up at 6.30 and boarded leave boat at 7.30, leaving at 8.15 escorted by torpedo boat. It was a bit choppy in the Strait. Reached Folkestone at noon and took train to London, arriving at 2 pm. Went to Maple Leaf Club with Jack [1 word] and put up. Went out and gave the Strand the once over and had supper and took in 'A Soldier Boy' at the [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_154

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~5 Sunday [279-86]~~ 19th after Trinity. Appollo. It was real good. Sept. 28th. Weather fine. Slept in. Took in 'Chin Chin Chow' at His Majesty's this afternoon. Went to movies after tea and caught 19.15 flyer for Edinburgh. Sept. 29th. Weather fine. Delightful sleep on train last night. Reached Edinburth at 8 am and after roaming around town looking for a place to put up at dropped into Darling's Regent Hotel. It is hard to get rooms just now as the places are so full. Had breakfast, cleaned up and went out to see the sights. Saw Prince Street, celebrated all over the world, Edinburgh Castle, Gallow Hill and had a beautiful panoramic [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~7 Monday [280-85]~~ Mohammedan Year 1337 begins. view of the city. This afternoon went to the Firth of Forth and saw the famous bridge and the fleet. This evening were invited out to Mrs. Duncan's to spent the evening (Sunday). Sept. 30th. Weather fair. Had a lazy day at the moview and tonight saw Reymon (?) Hicks in 'Sleeping Partner' at King's Theatre. Oct. 1st. Weather fair. Left at 2.05 for Glasgow arriving at 3.15. A magnificent run over a wonderful roadbed. Fine country. Weather misty on arriving. Put up at Ivanhoe Hotel and at 6.30 met Rita Morrison as per arrangement at Dorley, also Jessie Porter. Bill and I took [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_155

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~8 Tuesday [281-84]~~ than to Cranston's movie house and we turned into our [1 word] dive at the hotel at 1 am Wednesday Oct. 2. Went out the Clyde to Renfrew and saw the many works of men on the Clyde. Huge ships in course of construction. Wonderful plants. Crossed Clyde on ferry which cost us nothing. First thing we've got for nothing. Went to Porter's tonight for tea and then went to the Pavillion. Oct. 3rd. Weather miserable. At 8.10 am left for Loch Lomond as far as Inversnaid. It is a truely beautiful loch with beautiful mountains covered with heather and it cascades tumbling down over its sides. Saw the country reminiscent with Rob [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~9 Wednesday [282-83]~~ Roy's pranks. Enjoyed things immensely. Met Rita tonight had tea at her place and had a pleasant evening. Oct. 4th. Bill left for Manchester last night. Took in some of sights of town and then twent to Alhambra with Rita. Good show. Oct. 5th Weather wet. Saw about my neck. Very sore. Met Rita at noon and went out for lunch then went to Sonter's for tea and afterwards took in 'The Narrow Trail' at Cranston's. Oct. 6th . Sunday. A Red Letter Day. I went to church this morning taking in the Glasgow Cathedral a majestic edifice with many centuries of faithful work to its credit. Had dinner at Rita then took in the National [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_156

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~10 Thursday [283-82]~~ Art Gallery then returned for tea and left in time to cathc a train for London at 8.45 pm. Left Scotland with a bad neck but happy recollections of a good time. Oct. 7th Reached London at 6 am. Put up at Beaver Hut. Had neck operated on this morning. It was a bad abcess. Met Cousin Charlie and went out to his home in Hammersmith for tea. Saw Bill Creach, Bill Baker, Sprints (?), Jimmie Brown and a bunch of others. The Strand is a great place for meeting fellows. Oct. 8th. Met Ernie Crompton and went out to his place in Cheswick park for tea. Met a bunch of boys today. Oct. 9th Intended going [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~11 Friday [284-81]~~ to see the Doalls at Worthing but have tohave my neck dressed every day. Had lunch at the Coventry with Ernie Crompton and met Mrs. Jane Anderson at the B.C. House and am invited out for dinner tomorrow. Met a couple of friends at Strand Corner House and took in 'The Maid of the Mountains' at Daly's. Had to walk home from Forrest Gate some walk I did 3 miles then got a lorry to Aldergate then a taxi. Oct. 10th Out to lunch with Mrs. Anderson. Met Harry McDearimid also Cousin Bob and Bernard and Mrs. Farquard. Had lunch at the Corner House. Met Red at 5 and went to movies after tea. Bill had a friend tonight. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_157

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~12 Saturday [285-80]~~ Michaelmas Law Sittings begin. Oct. 11th Up at 4.30 am and after breakfast walked to Victoria station and caught leave train to Dover. Walked through town and up Castle Hill to Rest Camp. They always put these camps on a high hill and it makes you grunt to walk up them. It is interesting to see the difference between men going on leave and those coming back to France. On the way over you are full of pep and anticipation; on the way back you drag along without any ambition you don't mind whether the train or boat are delayed, something which would casue you such perturbation on the way to Blighty. We boarded the boat at 4.30 pm and made for B where [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~13 Sunday [286-79]~~ 20th after Trinity. First Quarter, 5.0 am. we arrived in a drizzle at 8 pm. Once more we were taken to a Rest Camp of course at the hightest altitute in the place. Sleep on the floor with one blanket. Quite cool. Oct. 12th. Up at 5 am. The fellows went up today but I remained behind to see the M.O. and had my neck dressed. Took in Y.M.C. and Salvation Army hut concert. Raining all day. They do not make things any too pleasant for a fellow in these camps and try to get rid of you as fast as possible went to sleep on the board again. Oct. 13th. Up at 6 am. Left on train at 9.30, riding in a box ch car as tight as sardines. Cool all way up. Reached B-- Camp after dark and went to another ~~railhead~~ rest camp for the night. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_158

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~14 Monday [287-78]~~ ~~Michaelmas Fire Insurance ceases.~~ We got no blanket and had to sleep in the open. My hat it was some cold. Slept till 1 am then had to get up to restore circulation. [1 word] and I found a cookhouse with a good fire and spent the night there. Some Sunday this. Oct. 14th. Up and had a bit of breakfast, then went after train for Q--t. Had to hang around until the trainload of sick and wounded came down. Was mighty hungry at time so raided a Bloke cookhouse and got satisfied. Reached B--n in afternoon. Had grub at Day train and decided to stay the night so slept in a dugout, which was capable of housing hundreds of men. Had a good sleep. In the afternoon I went [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~15 Tuesday [288-77]~~ Interest payable on L4% War Loan, 1929-1942. over the famous battle field of B--n and saw the graves of our dead, the wrecked chateau and villages, the loss equipment and the path of death and glory. Oct. 15th Up at 6 am. The train was moving up so we came up the A-C road and saw the famous city of C--i. Branched off and went to Es-- and found the battery. We have fine wagon lines, living in houses with beds and pianos and so forth. Fresh vegetables daily. It is like a country fair to walk down one of the streets, there is music everywhere. One day two Imperials went into a house and one sat down at the piano struck a cord and up went piano, house, men and all. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_159

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~16 Wednesday [289-76]~~ Once of Fritz's bobby traps. Oct. 16th Weather good. Nothing doing. Took a walk through the sugar refinery. While away our boys had an awful time. They were mighty lucky and escaped many casualties. Mr. Laskey was killed. Ted King lost a leg. Lilly, Davis, Elliott, [1 word] went down the line. One would not recognize our battery now. So many new faces. [1 word] came to my sub one day went up the line and was wounded the next. He left Blight on the 18th Sept. and was back on the 28th. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~17 Thursday [290-75]~~ Oct. 17th Weather good. Nothing doing. Took a ride to the battery which is in a village and the boys are well off living comfortable. Had to haul amu up. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_160

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 18 Friday [291-74] S.Luke Weather fair. Expect to move. Gathering vegetables for men's mess. Horses are also benefiting by the garden products. Having good sleeps these nights. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER 19 Saturday [292-73] Full Moon, 9.35 pm. Weather not bad. Had morning off to bath and change clothes. Went to C--i to look over place. It is badly ruined in places. When we got back the teams had to go up and hauled the guns well ahead. The infantry has lost track of Fritz. He is sure shifting back. Teams returned at 9 pm and we are shifting wagon lines at midnight. Were off to find Friz and it looks as though we have a good trek ahead of us. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_161

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 20 Sunday [293-72] 21st after Trinity. We had some jaunt last night. We left our wagon lines at midnight and went up to Pa--t and crossed the L--t on a patoon bridge. Then hit through several villages and considerable open country. It rained allnight. We puloled up in Mar--e and put up lines in a hollow. It was some mess. Horses and harness and myd mixed up. We had a rum issue and turned in at 4 am and were up at 6 am. Slept in houses. Were ordered to move forward. Infantry has lost touch with Fritz. He is sure retiring some. Lots of French civies. When we were moving off got order to report to [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~21 Monday [294-71]~~ Canada's Corp Hp. re. commission. Left at 9 am and walked 21 kilos to C--i there got a lorry to Hend--t and arrived at Q--t, where we found a cellar and put up for the night after bumming a meal. Oct. 21st Up early and cleaned up. Went before [1 word] and was recommended for a commission. Decided to spend the day here so found a cellar bummed some grub and lit away and are well away. Had a fire in the dugout, rad and had easy time. Turned in early Have plenty of blankets but they are lousy. Oct. 22nd. Weather fair. Had breakfast then jumped [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_162

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 22 Tuesday [295-70] a lorry to Es--n. We passed through towns Fritz had just left and later came to those where the civies remained. The towns were decorated with flags and the people were happy at being relieved after the Heinie [1 word] The old women and men were all smiles nd the children shouted. They were covered with badges given them by the infantry couldn't find our unit so bummed a meal off an Imperial outfit then walked around the country and saw where Fritz had blown all the cross roads and destroyed the houses. He burned the wheat stacks so that they would not be used by the civies. Our hope is that he starves by degrees this winter. He blew [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~23 Wednesday [296-69]~~ up the [1 word] and one is not allowed to go near the place for fear of bobby traps. Put up at a civies place for the night. The people cannot do enough for you. They want you to sleep in their beds and they sleep on the floor and give you their scanty rations. Which is their thanks to the Canadians for saving them. The woman told us all kind of stories of their sufferings and one could see by their pinched faces that life had been hard on them. Some had been imprisoned for giving food to British prisoners. Fritz had taken all their brass, silver, gold and other metal. They had used the young girls badly and taken all the poultry and stock. These people had no news of the war. They did not know [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_163

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~24 Thursday [297-68]~~ there were Canadians or Americans in the war; that the Allies were bombing Germany; and that Fritz had bombarded Paris. They know the Canadians now though. Oct. 23rd. Weather good spent morning with one hostess talking about things in general. Then walked on to H--y where found the battery wagon lines. The women are sweeping the street a job which Fritz made them do. Their burden is lighter now. They are smiles. Nothing is too good for 'les Canadiens'. Sleeping in a chateau. Percy has gone down the line with a sprained foot. There were great scenes here where the town crier announced [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER 25 Friday [298-67] that the people could write to their friends. There was shouting and a rush for paper and women and children started scratching. The scenes are wonderful. Most of the men between 18 and 40 have been taken away by the Hun. In one house the officer asked Madame to get some flowers. She picked them red white and blue colors and arranged them tricolor in the vase. When the officer relayed the scheme he ~~dazed~~ dashed the flowers to the floor. The lady here has hung up her pictures is dusting everything and bringing to light many things that the Boche would have requisitioned. The Madame is going on a visit. They have not been able to visit any place by [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_164

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 26 Saturday [299-66] Last Quarter, 5.35 pm. the Boche and some of them are not allowed to look out of their upper windows as early in the war the women poured hot water on the Heinies. Oct. 24th. Weather cool. The troops are sleeping at a huge barn. We have salvaged a lot of hay. The Boche had it all at the railway ready to ship to Germany when the Canucks swept through. Heavy barrage over on right this morning. Heaviest we have heard. Nearly shook us out of bed. [1 word] over and got projective. Went to work on 'O-Pip' today. Oct. 25th. Weather cool working on 'O-Pip'. Having [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER ~~27 Sunday [300-65]~~ ~~22nd after Trinity.~~ a fairly soft time. Cleaning harness. Went up to the Mad House tonight. The hurdy-gurdies are going all the time and the troops have a good time dancing and singing. Oct. 26th. Weather good. Quiet time. On 'O-Pip'. Oct. 27th. Weather wet. Pinching a lot of hay and the horses are getting a good fill. They need it for their frames are showing up wonderfully. Oct. 28th. Weather wet. Guns went in tongiht. Hauling amu. Getting ready for a show. Oct. 29th. On O Pip still. Hauling amu. The war news from germany's allies seem very good and encouraging. everyone thinks it will be [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_165

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 ~~28 Monday [301-64]~~ ~~SS.Simon & Jude.~~ over before long. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER 29 Tuesday [302-63] [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_166

Transcript:

[start page] OCTOBER 10th Month 1918 30 Wednesday [303-62] Weather wet. Went for a ride to B--b--e to see Amelia. Had tea and returned to camp. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days OCTOBER 31 Thursday [304-61] Aug. to Oct. Game Certificates expire. WEather good. Had a bath in De--n this afternoon. It was good and the fist we have had for a long time which meant we were good and lousy. We had a regular civie bath-house with a jake swimming pool. Turned in early as my head was punk. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_167

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 1 Friday [305-60] All Saints. Weather fine. Up at 4.30 am getting ready for advance at 5.15 away she went with a bang and at 7 we moved off and spent the whole morning behind a slag-pile waiting for the order to go ahead. Built a fire and made things agreeable. Just before dusk we got orders to return to our lines for the night. The Boche is holding on the left but he'll get his yet. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 2 Saturday [306-59] All Souls. Goo day nothing doing at wagon lines. Motor cars [1 word] Cal--n. Captain and Chal(?) first officers to enter, received by Mayor.Cut Fritz flag down hostile French. Fritz shelled it right away and blew in the front of a store. People were overjoyed. They gave away choice wines. This is the last French town to give way. One of (sic) lady on coming out saw a Boche dead on her doorsteps [1 word] ~~1 word~~ officers called to arrest a Heinie in house. Pulled revolver Nothing doing. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_168

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 3 Sunday [307-58] 23rd after Trinity. New Moon 9.2 pm. Weather fine. Up at 4.45 am. Went forward at 8 am. Then proceeded at 11 am and went through Val--n the first battery through. Saw the battered section and bridges blow up. We crossed on new one passed famous Hotel de Ville and of Caserne [1 word] where streets flooded. People went crazy when they saw us. They lived in the cellars while the bombardment was going on. Put guns in a [1 word] square and hand wagon line in rear and have grand stable accomodation and fine bilets. The sargeants (sic) have a ~~pal~~ palace, everything one could wish for. Piano and organ, beds with canopies, hurdy-gurdies [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER ~~4 Monday [308-57]~~ in stalbes and the like. The Boche intended taking the civies away and lot of material but the [1 word] closed too quickly. There is an abundance of clothing here, dressed suits, beautiful ladies clothing, everyhting left just as it had been hung a few days before. It seems a shame. We have a bunch of boys sick just now due to the dirty barn which has been used as a billet for ten days past. Nov. ~~Oct.~~ 4th. Weather fair. Up at 4 am with orders to go ahead. Left position with guns at 6.30 and went through Cal-- to the next town where we put the guns in action alongside a chateau and a gib chateau where the boys had a good home. Hauled in ammunition [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_169

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 ~~5 Tuesday [309-56]~~ The Boche is going back fast and we had to go forward to On--g tonight. Gun limber and team spent night at chateau. Wagons hauling amu most of night. Hurry up call for amu early in morning for a barrage. The roads are congested with traffic these days. Nov. 2nd Weather wet. Nothing much doing. Through we would lose our home today but stayed on. Got word that Austria-Hungary had capitulated. It seems only a matter of weeks now before the thing is over. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 6 Wednesday [310-55] Raining all day. Doping around all morning. This ~~morning~~ afternoon got orders to go ahead so went up to n--g and hooed into gun which went into action in Quad--ple. The Boche is going back quickly and we are right on his heels. He's licked to a fare-you-well. Hear we may have hit for Berlin. Fired a barrage into Bel--n this morning. Rained all night. Had to haul ammunition from same part [1 word] and had an awful time int he dark. Three big craters in Q the first time Fritz made a job of blowing up the road. They're in a bad mess. Came up at a trot and made the cobblestones in Qual ring at 2 am. Had rum issue and felt better [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_170

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 7 Tuesday [311-54] Weather damp. Reville at 7.30 as everyone was out late last night. Call for limbers this morning. At last we are to have a short rest on our present billets. This is fine as both men and horses are well situated. As we looked at the guns in the park we were wondering whether they had fired their last shot or not. There does not seem to be much chance of Germany holding out. I hope we get a chance to bombard some of their towns just to show the people what the French civies had to put up with. The owners of our house came in this afternoon. He took a violin which I was figuring of throwing out and said it was worth 500 f. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 8 Friday [312-53] Weather fine. Cleaning guns and vehicles. Great war news today. We are all talking about getting home and wondering how many more years it will take. Some have hopes of early sailings others of a long stay. Still we are giving one another our addresses and telephone numbers. It's a great life right now. We moved our billet and have another good place. We were up late tonight figuring out 14 days rest and the rum jar was passed around. It seemed good to be able to sit around and not ~~be able to~~ have to go up the line at any hour of the night. Our dreams have been shattered. Just as we were going to bed orders came to move in the morning. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_171

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 9 Saturday [313-52] Reveille at 4 am. Moved off at 7.30 and hit the long trail to M--. Came up close to B--n border and put up horse line for day. expected to go on but are staying in the town tonight. We came through for a special show but Fritz pulled out during the night and there was no need of artillery. The Boche is done. Saw where a ~~Hen~~ Canadian got a Boche in a window and stuck another one through the stomach. In next town are eight civilians killed by Fritz including one naked girl. Had beef steak and onions for supper. Things are not breaking too bad. It was terrible to see the refugees going downt he road, old and young pushing improvised carts loaded to the fill. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 10 Sunday [314-51] 24th after Trinity. Weather very good. As usual we have a move on today. Lots of peace talk. Got orders to shift up again which means that our rest is shot to pieces. Hung around all morning and at 1.30 pm moved off. We went through [1 word] and passed from F into B and saw the ~~dif~~dividing post and the change in the color of the 'tricolor'. We again saw the refugees. Here the people seem in better health then in F. The child are (sic) healthy. F. was certainly down-trodden. The boys all give the people a lift. The lorries take their stuff and it is funny to see the women riding on the amu. Wagons getting the lives jarred out of them. It must have been painful [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_172

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 ~~11 Monday [315-50]~~ Half Quarter Day. Martinmas. First Quarter, 4.46 pm. but we had to laugh. WE had a long march and found the country in good order. Fritz had left in such a hurry that he did not have a chance to take any cattle or stock and all mines are in working order. We ~~pack~~ pitched our wagon lines in [1 word] and went to billets Dick Martin, Ross and Sean and I have a fine billet in a Bilhone. The people are fine and give us everything we want. Monday Nov. 11th Weather fine. Inspection this morning. Peace or armistice was proclaimed this morning at 11 o'clock. The church bells rang and everyone was shouting 'La guerre fini, tres bon' [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER ~~12 Tuesday [316-49]~~ The official news was read to us at 2 o'clock parade. There was a big noise. Everyone now is figuring out when will we get home. No one knows. There are all kinds of rumors regarding what will be done with us but there is nothing official. There are two darbs in the house and they give us the time of our live. I got some jam from home last night and the old dame made some pies for us. They were jake. She has coffee for us whenever we come in. Had exciting time last night. ~~Moved into close~~ Tuesday Nov. 12th. Weather fine. Have horses in covered lines now, having taken a Belgian's farm close to our billets. The dame [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_173

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 ~~13 Wednesday [317-48]~~ had coffee for us at Reveille. I ~~was~~met by her after stables and she shouted 'la guerre fini' and I shouted too and she kissed me and made great fuss. At noon I wandered in and shouted 'la guerre fini' and the daughter kissed us all then the old dame came over and sat on my knee. They got me dancing and had me dizzy. We're having a grand time of it plenty of tea and coffee. We'll be as yellow as chinamen if we drink much more. Wednesday Nov. 13th. Heavy frost. Cold getting up. Had pay parade this morning the first for a month. Nothing doing this afternoon. The people here have no [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER ~~14 Thursday [318-47]~~ wool so I watched them tearing old wollen articles to pieces to get wool with which to darn their stockings. Tehy have no boots everyone wearing clogs. I gave the old lady a hand churning the butter. She is a grand old girl and gives us pie and cafe with every meal. Thursday Nov. 14th Weather very frosty. No one up for reveille. Inspection of horses by CRA. Cleaning harness this afternoon. Spent evening in [1 word] and recounting experiences. Had our old dame drinking rum like water. Went ot bed and at 11 o'clock was awakened by O'[1 word] who wanted me to come and see the sights. The son who has been a prisoner of war for two years returned [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_174

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 ~~15 Friday [319-46]~~ from Brussels. The old man came down in his underwear and the mother and daughter in their nightskirts to welcome 'Ma Frier'. There was something to drink. Finally all retired. Friday Nov. 15th. The weather is very cold these days One gets the shivers. Issued with Jack boots and an extra blanket. One needed it. Grand celebration in Thulin church, King Albert's birthday. Belgians shouted 'Viva la Canadiennes' and the canadians shouted back. Cleaning harness this afternoon. Walter Lydiard joined battery. Calderwood back. The madame had waffles for us tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER ~~16 Saturday [320-45]~~ Kelly came to see us. Saturday Nov. 16th. Weather very crimpy. Cleaning harness and getting ready for the 'triumphant march to the Rhine.' Inspected this afternoon by captain. It was cold as sin and we had to sit in the saddle without our coat, while the captain walked around with his British warmer on.Kelly came up for tea tonight. The people we are staying with are sorry that we are leaving. We expect to go tomorrow. The Canadian Corps is to be all git and shine and it will be some trip. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_175

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 17 Sunday [321-44] 25th after Trinity. Weather cold. Went sick with the Flu. Crawled into bed. Felt punk all day. The madame and daughter looked after me all day, giving me boulion, hot milk and bread and milk. Tehy are certainly kind. There is talk of the battery moving tomorrow, but don't think I will be able to move. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 18 Monday [322-43] Full Moon, 7.33 am. Weather cold with snow flurries. Reveille at 12.30 and battery has orders to move off. The captain gave order that the sick must go along. I could hardly walk. The mess cart called for me and Corp. Atkinson, McIntosh, [1 word] and I were left at the 8th Field Dressing Station. At 4.30 the battery started on tis triumphant march to the Rine. I started with a temperature of 101 F. Its going to be a wicked cold trip. Saw a large funeral here (Bously). Two civies were killed by a potato masher, a little kiddy pulling the thing. It was quite a funeral. Was rushed down to No 4. [end pag

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_176

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 19 Tuesday [323-42] Canadian C.C.S. and after being examined in a large hall was marked a stretcher-case for down the line. French civies and many sick boys were on parade. Was taken in ambulance and loaded on a Red Cross train. Left in evening. Nurse are jake and ask 'How do you feel now?' Oh Lordy! Gave me some dope to go to sleep. Tuesday Nov. 19th Spent all night travelling. Arrived at T--s at 10 am. Taken to No. 4 General Hospital. Doped up with stuff. Nothing to eat. On a milk diet. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 20 Wednesday [324-41] Still in bed. Being doped and starved to get my temperature down. Have to great nurse. One's like that and the other like [1 word] [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_177

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 21 Thursday [325-40] Same old Stuff. Hungry and doped. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 22 Friday [326-39] Same thing. Feeling better hope to get up soon. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_178

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 23 Saturday [327-38] In hospital. These nurses having a great time rushing the boys around. Its a hell of a hole. I hope I get out of it soon. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 24 Sunday [328-37] 26th after Trinity (last). In hospital. Same as any other day. The nurse keep everyone on the move. Got up today and felt pretty weak. The nurses are after me now. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_179

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 25 Monday [329-36] Last Quarter, 10.25 am. Weather very good. Got up this morning and ducked out to avoid the nurses. [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 26 Tuesday [330-35] In hospital. Asked to get out. Paraded before M.O. and he asked me how I felt. I was jake and he marked me out. Thank goodness I'll kiss these nurses good-bye. -- A chap was telling how he got trench mouth. Went out to a shell-hole to clean teeth and two days later went over top and ~~found~~ water had dried up and there were three Heinie in the bottom of the shell hole. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_180

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 27 Wednesday [331-34] Up to wash at 4.30 am. Arose at 7 and had breakfast in the dining hall. Got fitted out with clothing. Had lunch and left for Can. Camp. Had a good ride to No. 6 Can. Camp at Etaples and had supper in mess. There are all kinds of chances for a chap to get well, all kinds of games etc. Went before M.O. tongiht and he asked how I was feeling and I told him and he said I'd better have a rest so I went out and then went down to No. 7 En. Hosptial and saw Billie Alcock. Had a meal and had quite a good time. Slept in a tent. Some of the Aussies got the S M's good. They told him he had a bomb [1 word] and should have died & he'd lost [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 28 Thursday [332-33] it six weeks ago (written along top of page) Up at 6.30. Breakfast and then got orders to fall in at 8 am for C. Camp. It was raining hard and we were kept waiting around. They called the roll about eight times and each time some one was absent. Finally Pte. Doolan was wanted and after shunning and numbering off half a dozen times left for the station where we boarded a Red Cross train and proceeded to Port de Brigne. Then were [1 word] in ambulances to Ecourt above eight miles from Boulogne. Had quite a rush ride and it was enjoyable. Then had a bit more messing around in the wet and finally got a meal and then back a few more roll calls and standing about in the wet. Were shown [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_181

Transcript:

[start page] NOVEMBER 11 Month 1918 ~~29 Friday [333-32]~~ to some tents. It does look a dreary place for a sick man. However, [1 word]. Have a good mess here and had a jam pie for supper. It is raining hard tonight. Was to have gone to Palais Paix today with smiles had I not move. Friday Nov. 29th Crawled out in time for breakfast. Rain this morning. Pitched a game of ball and won. No parade this afternoon. When I was at supper was warmed for the Equihen picquet. Had six men and a corporal and set out at 8.15 pm to walk three kilos and patrol the village till 10.45. We put into a egg and chips place and then came back. We had to pack one of the [end page] [start page] 1918 30 Days NOVEMBER 30 Saturday [334-31] S.Andrew. chaps home. It is a disgrace that sick men just out of hospital are put on these jobs. I got into bed at midnight. It twas a black, dirty night. Saturday Nov. 30th Weather cold and clear. Had games this morning and a bath. This afternoon played ball and won easily. Are now in final for championship. After game went to Equihen and had the first real feed I have had for weeks. Had four eggs and chips, a Mackerel and two slices of bread. Then came back to mess to have tea. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_182

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12 Month 1918 1 Sunday [335-30] Advent Sunday. Queen Alexandra born, 1844. Weather miserable. Nothing doing this morning. Played off final in baseball and won by 10-4 and won championship. Too tired to go to Boulogne so turned in early. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 2 Monday [336-29] Interest payable of L5% War Loan, 1929-1947. Weather overcast. On 9 o'clock parade the O.C. presented cups and medals to winners in sports. Our company won four of eight cups and the division seven of them. This afternoon walked along the sands to Hardelot and saw the place, which is picturesque but dead. Got back and dodged the Equihen picquet. Very wet tonight. Am marked for evacuation tomorrow and am greatly pleased. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_183

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12 Month 1918 3 Tuesday [337-28] New Moon, 3.19 pm. Marked out and after parading and going through a lot of red tape left in [1 word] for the Base Details at Terlinethune Camp was not detailed for anything. This is a muddy hole and it rained all day. Went to Wimereux and saw Dolly Benn and spent the evening. Then came back to camp and slept on the boards with three blankets. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 4 Wednesday [338-27] Weather doubtful. Expected to get away this morning but have to spend two days here in order to do fatigues. They are a miserable crowd around here. I had to take a bunch to Marlborough Camp to as fatigues and incidentally took a walk into Boulogne. Tonight took a walk down to Wimereux and saw Dolly Benn and had tea. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_184

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12 Month 1918 5 Thursday [339-26] This morning was warned to return to base. Prayers for deliverence. Left at 10 am and walked to Boulogne staion and caught train at 3 pm. We had to get up at 5 am to catch this train. That's the way of the army everytime. Had a couch for sargeants and reached Etaples at 5 and was marched to base where we were sorted out and put in tents. They have a fine sergeant's mess and we had a grand time at supper. Some feed. Apple pie. Went down and saw Billie Alcock tonight. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 6 Friday [340-25] All kind or parades today. At 8 am went to quarter master and at 10 am went to M.O. and was inoculated. Saw Percy and he is going on leave tonight. A lot of our boys are here. This is a good camp. Plenty of Y.M. cinemas and eat houses. Shifted to artillery lines this afternoon. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_185

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12 Month 1918 7 Saturday [341-24] Fellows wrecked W.A.A.G. dance tonight (written along top of page) Weather fair. Had day off and went to No. 7 and had lunch and supper with 'Smiles'. Saw Erine Wright, [1 word], Whitcomb, and Jimmie Calderbank. Heard of chap in No. 7 who was having his temperature taken wanted to stay in hospital so he shook the thermo and when sister took it out it was 104.6 F. He was given hot and cold bath. Later sister took temperature. He shook it wrong way this time and it was 96 F. She was alarmed and took it again. He shook it right this time and it was 105 F. Then she went to get M.O. Took it again normal. Then she went and took it when he was asleep and it was 98.2 F. He may make Blighty. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER ~~8 Sunday [342-23]~~ ~~2nd in Advent~~ Had tea in Etaples with Ernie and Smiles (written along top of page) While at Equihen a French prisoner of war came home and the people did not know him. He had been reported dead three years before. His hair was down his back and his ~~beard~~ bard was down on his chest. Sunday ~~Sept.~~ Dec. 8th Weather fine. Noting doing this morning. This afternoon Bowden and I went to Etaples and arranged to attend classes conducted by Imperial Y.M.C.Had tea in town and came back and hit the hay. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_186

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12 Month 1918 9 Monday [343-22] Weather good. Went on gas parade this morning and dropped into No. 7. This afternoon Bowden and I went to school and learned something about English Grammar and Composition. The story of Nobby Clark - how he cleaned up Australians was told. The M.P. told the boys they would have to leave an estaminet as it was 8 pm. Australians wouldn't and said nobody could put them out. Nobby says what and told the M.P. to commit them. The Aussie asked who N. was talking and he says 'You' at the same time seizing him by the neck. Four of them went to hospital. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 10 Tuesday [344-21] Grouse Shooting ends. Weather fair. Nothing doing this morning. This afternoon went to Paris Plage. It is a fine place. Had a chicken dinner. It was fine. This morning when the boys went down to the Imperials for P.T. our instructor says 'Now follow me boys' and when 50 yards away looked around and expected to see the boys following close at his heels at a run but they were slantering along with their hands in their pockets. It is funny how nice the upper hands seem to the boys. The P.T. instructor said that the old P.T. work had been done away with and that only games would be played. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_187

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 11 Wednesday [345-20] First Quarter, 2.31 am [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 12 Thursday [346-19] [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_188

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 13 Friday [347-18] [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 14 Saturday [348-17] Weather blowy. Heard story of chap who sold officer horse Brilliant for $175. The officer said Scott knew horse better than anyone else and sent him off to look for it and told him not to return until he found it. Scott was away 14 days and boozed the money and was brought back in a hack and had not shaved all the time he was away. He was drunk all the time. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_189

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 15 Sunday [349-16] 3rd in Advent. Ember Week. Weather fair. Smiles and I went to Paris Plage this afternoon and had a chicken dinner and saw a movie show. Nothing startling at all. Not a bad dump but outside of that uninteresting. Good place in summer time. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 16 Monday [350-15] [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_190

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 17 Tuesday [351-14] Full Moon, 7.18 pm. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 18 Wednesday [352-13] Ember Day. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_191

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 19 Thursday [353-12] [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 20 Friday [354-11] Ember Day. Went to school. Nothing startling. Reading books. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_192

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 21 Saturday [355-10] [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 22 Sunday [356-9] 4th in Advent. Shortest Day. Nothing doing this morning. Went to No. 7 this afternoon and met sister Fahrin. Then went alone to Etaples and had tea with Miss Findlay and had a xmas tree and a very enjoyable time. Hit across the tracks and missed the 'bulls' getting home. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_193

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 23 Monday [357-8] Nothing startling. Ricking (?) out my heels. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 24 Tuesday [358-7] Xmas Eve. Spent the day helping Miss Findlay filling candy bags and [2 words] Tonight had [1 word] raids. The boys went right to it and let the prisoners out of the clink. Then they raided the officers' mess and got all the booze and got the officers' wind up. Some one said the Imperials were machine- gunning our obys and out we went with rifles and there was some shooting but no damage. Things look bad and they need tog et the boys home as there's nothing for them to do here. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_194

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 25 Wednesday [359-6] Christmas Day. Last Quarter, 6.31 am. Weather fine. It is a beautiful day for Xmas. This morning took a walk around and gave Miss Findlay a hand. This afternoon she had a Xmas tree. The boys are feeding well. This afternoon I went down to No. 7 saw Smiles and had tea with Sister Fahrin and later with Sister Ellis. The hospitals fare very well. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 26 Thursday [360-5] S.Stephen. Bank Holiday. Had a great time last night. More raids. Started in an officer mess at the brigade where the officers sewed the booze. Then went to Etaples and raided O-mess there. Came up and broke into officers' section of the E.F.C. and took everything. There were cigards, liquers, cigarettes, tinned goods and everything going the rounds. The colonel made a speech and asked us to be good and told us we'd get home soon. Then a general came up and a Bloke officer. Everyone is such. holing to the boys. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_195

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 27 Friday [361-4] S.John. [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 28 Saturday [362-3] Holy Innocents. Weather wet. Nothing startling. For two days we have had a D-M in our tent who was arrested in Paris. He has been peddling a line and tonight was up before O.C. and was found to be a gunner camouflaged. We had given him cigarettes and cigars and bought him a meal or two. He's in the clink tonight. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_196

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 29 Sunday [363-2] 1st after Christmas. Weather very wet. Up early as there is a draft going to Blighty. Was lucky to get on it. Am happy now. Had to turn in blankets. Went down and saw 'Smiles' and Sister Fahrin, then packed up and stood by. Fell in at 5 o'clock but the train was delayed as we were forced to stand by. It is a nice feeling to think one is moving to Blighty as there the world is civilized. All the boys on the draft are happy. We are to leave France for ever and to hell with the place. Canada looks big right now. We finally moved off at 8.30 pm and with high spirits, packs and rifles proceeded to Etaples station where we entrained. We had nothing [end page] [start page] 1918 31 Days DECEMBER 30 Monday [364-1] but box cars and had 30 men in each. At 11 pm the train pulled out. It was a slow ride and plenty of jarring and bumping. It was a hard trip. One would nod off for a few minutes and wake up to find himself about frozen, would stand up and slap himself. If one fellow stretched out no one else could. All day (30th) we bumped along at about 10 miles an hour. Paced trough Rouen, then arrived at Le Havre at 8 pm. Bully beef and lard tack for meals. Were marched to a Rest Camp not too bad and given blankets etc. for sleeping in. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_197

Transcript:

[start page] DECEMBER 12th Month 1918 31 Tuesday [365-0] Had a good sleep. This is the day we hope to kiss France good-bye. The Buddies waved us farewell last night. Had a parade this morning and got orders to stand by. At 2 pm we fell in with kits and marched to the piers where we embarked on the 'Makotin' an American vessel. at 6.15 pm in a rain squell we pulled out from Havre and said 'good-bye' to France. We hit a squall outside and a nasty sea and the boys were sick. I slept through it all. It was funny to see them line up for supper but the pitching soon changed their minds and they gave up their dinners. [end page] [start page] 1919 31 Days JANUARY 1 Wednesday [1-364] Circumcision. Stock Exchange closed. Awoke this morning and found we were warping alongside the pier at Southampton. Disembarked and waited in a freight shed for our train which left at 2 pm for Camp Borden, where we arrived at 6 pm. Put up in good quarters. Just missed trip home via Panama. 2 Thursday [2-363] Hung about all morning. Papers made out for demobilization. Shifted this afternoon to Reserve lines. Not bad dump. Went up to town. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_198

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1919 3 Friday [3-362] Parade this morning and this afternoon for Q.M. stores and leave. Tonight went with McKee down to Dick Turpin's hiding place and had supper. Got a good feed. 4 SAturday [4-361] More parades for clothing. Bumming around. [end page] [start page] 1919 31 Days JANUARY 5 Sunday [5-360] 2nd after Christmas. 6 Monday [6-359] Epiphany. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_199

Transcript:

[start page] JANUARY 1st Month 1919 7 Tuesday [7-358] 8 Wednesday [8-357] [end page] [start page] Notes for 1919. [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_200

Transcript:

NOTE: THIS SECTION OF THE DIARY COVERS THE PERIOD FROM NOV. 15TH 1917 TO [start page] NOTES FOR 1919 (7 written in ink) Nov. 15th Weather fine. Out of action, having sights tested. Having a soft time at it. Building a new dugout. We have only splinter protection where we are now and are digging out a new cellar. Found fortune (?). Nov. 16th Weather fine. Still out of action. Nov. 17th Weather fine. Out of action. Came down from guns ~~last~~ tonight. Had a fair run down. Have electric lights in the gunpit down. Its a regular home. Nov. 18th Sunday Back to grooming horses. Went on church parade this morning. Had pay parade this afternoon and got 80 francs. It was Xmas pay. Went to six Moulette to see 'Plute', Goldie [end page] [start page] CASH ACCOUNT - JANUARY Date Particulars Received Paid MacDiarmid and Proby. Fritz shelled ~~1 word~~badly today and set the fuze on fire. Had regular eggs and chips tonight. Nov. 19th Weather fine. Fritz shelling. Nov. 20th Got a day's leave and went to B-- and had some day roaming around talking French etc. Went to the Pierrots. Had to walk about a mile and a half over the cobble stones then got a lorry. Fellows are having a bon time spending their Xmas pay. Drunks are in fine shapes. Nov. 21st Weather cold. Bad wind blowing.Fritz shelling. Nov. 22nd Fritz hit a hospital in N of M. today and killed some parties and got some of the Imperials who were out on [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_201

Transcript:

[start page] CASH ACCOUNT - FEBRUARY Date Particulars Received Paid rest. One little girl had her head cut off. Nov. 23rd Nothing doing. Nov 24th ~~1 word~~ Weather fine. Up at 6 am now. Very dark. Fritz still shells. Nov. 25th Sunday Clipped Appy. Weather bad. Nov. 26th Nothing doing. Nov. 27th Went to A-N and saw Percy McAdam. Fellows hitting the booze pretty hard. Nov. 28th Weather fine. Went up and pulled the gun out. Just missed a shelling. Brought the gun down to the wagon lines. Got in at 9 am. Just three hours on the road. Nov. 29th Weather fine. Preparing to move. We are out on a rest and got orders this [end page] [start page] CASH ACCOUNT - MARCH Date Particulars Received Paid afternoon to take up a new position. I took our gun in in front of La B. It was a long ride 10 kilos. Got back to the lines at midnight. Are supporting P's. Nov. 30th Weather fine but very cold. Reveille at 5 am. Preparing to move our lines. Left old lines at 8.30 and reached our new dumpt at Ver-- at noon. It is a bleak spot and we felt the cold alright. There were no sleeping quarters for us as we slapped up three [2 words] huts and piled into them. We were like sardines. Sleeping down the centre. When one turned we all turned. Tonight we went to look the town over. Had usual eggs and chips. The remainder of [1 word] Dec. 1st battery went into [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_202

Transcript:

[start page] CASH ACCOUNT - APRIL Date Particulars Received Paid action tonight. Went to S en H again. Dec. 1st Went to the dump to fill up with ammunition. Weather very cold. Worked like the dickens to close in the stables to save our horses. Dec. 2nd Colder than sin. Had to break ice to wash. Fitz's planes were over today. Plenty of shooting. Fritz bombed us tonight. Dec. 3rd Weather cold. Working on stables. Had another bombing raid tonight. Dec. 4th Fritz shelling N of us badly. Got caught between some of his bombs tongiht and had glass on my dome. Nothing doing. Dec. 5th Went to Ben.y tonight and crossed La B C weather cold. Dec. 6th Weather cold [end page] [start page] CASH ACCOUNT - MAY Date Particulars Received Paid Nothing startling. Have to haul our ammunition now. No light railroads here. Dec. 7th Working around stables. Heavy sthelling. Had a big time in estaminet tonight. Plenty of music and life. The French are fine dancers. Dec. 8th Weather fine and warmer. Went to see Inglis and had a fine ride through B. Went to Be>del>thune tonight. Get passes there now. B. gets shelled badly. Had a supper at a joint and they taxed us 7 francs. We were going to the theatre but it was badly wrecked in the day by a couple of 8-inch shells. Dec. 9th Sunday Working on stables. Went up the line at 2 pm to take over. Fritz started [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_203

Transcript:

[start page] CASH ACCOUNT - JUNE Date Particulars Received Paid a strafle just as soon as I got here. Had a good sleep. Plenty of rain. Dec. 10th Weather fair. Got a new [1 word] line today. Turned into ~~nagh~~ bed for a good night but at 12.30 we were awakened by a heavy cannonalle (?) and got an 'S.O.S.' We turned out and rapped off 38 pounds and shut up Fritz. We have a rotten gun-pit and it holds the fumes and the most of us were knocked out by it. Dec. 11th Weather fine. Boys bus putting up barb-wire. We are afraid that Fritz may come over. We pulled off a dummy raid this afternoon and gave Fritz something to think about. Xmas mail is [end page] [start page] CASH ACCOUNT - JULY Date Particulars Received Paid arriving now. Dec. 12th Weather cold. On gun drew Gilson, Goldie and Hagman. At 8.30 pm we put over some rounds to assist in a gas attack. Fritz came back at 10.454 pm and we got an 'SOS' and sent over a bunch of rounds. It was fine going We did some smart work. Our gun works fine. The [2 words] made a terrible noise. There was a lot of gas about and some of it reached us. Dec. 13th Weather fine. Have now to get up in time tohave an inspection at 9 am. The No's had not shaved for a while and there was H a-popping. We did no firing today, but wrote letters in the [1 word]-pit. Dec. 14th Weather fine [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_204

Transcript:

[start page] CASH ACCOUNT - AUGUST Date Particulars Received Paid Registered a new target today. Had some great sport. A Heinie plane came sneaking out of the fog and caught us unawares as we were in action. We opened fire with rifles and copped a couple of hits. Heavy bombing raid tonight. Dec. 15th Weather fine and cold at night. Registered a new fun line. Nothing startling. Fellows busy on [1 word] building of new office, protecting it with sand bags, shale, elephant iron, turf etc. We have our rifles in shape and have heaps of amu for Fritz. Big bombing raid tonight. Fritz planes dropped pamphlets in B yesterday saying a big advance was coming off and advising the people to leave. Dec. 16th sunday No church [end page] [start page] CASH ACCOUNT - SEPTEMBER Date Particulars Received Paid parade here. Had a stand to this morning and poked a few rounds at some of Fritz's Trench Mortars. Fritz droped a few shells handy. More Xmas parcels. Had a little sing song and rattled off some tunes on our mouth organ. Dec. 17th Weather cold and snowy. The whole place is white and we have orders to stay in and not make tracks. So we stayed in. I got orders to return to wagon lines to arrange Xmas dinner. Dec. 18th Weather cold. Working all day on Xmas dinner. Went to Ben and Bon. Dec. 19t Weather cold. Lots of snow. Working on Xmas dinner. 'O-Pips' arrived tonight. Dec. 20th Weather cold. Went to Beth this morning and [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_205

Transcript:

[start page] CASH ACCOUNT - OCTOBER Date Particulars Received Paid bought a lot of Xmas goods, potatos, Brussel sprouts, tomatoes, peas. Had a fine 6 franc meal. Fritz bombed this town last night and hit a church, killing the priest, organist and five civilians. He is trying to drive the civies out. Dec. 21st Weather very cold. Scenery excellent, everything being white. Went to Labeuvriere and bought two pigs for Xmas dinner. Talka bout squeal, there was some noise when we copped the pigs. It was a cold ride. Nothing doing rest of the day. Dec. 22nd Weather cold. Got orders to pull out of our position and return to Sains-en-G. Turned our guns over to the Imperials this afternoon. Getting ready to move. Fritz sent over a couple of bombing [end page] [start page] CASH ACCOUNT - NOVEMBER squadrons tonight and went after [1 word]. He hit the station and got the leave train killing a bunch of the boys. He was over our lines and dropped a bomb quite handy. Dec. 23rd Sunday. Weather very cold. Reveille at 6.30 am. Had a great time getting our stuff into shape and pinched everything we could lay our hands on as we did not wish to give anything to the Imperials. We left our lines at 10.15 and had a very cold march to S.en-G. where we arrived at noon. Went to Communion tonight. Dec. 24th Weather cold. Heavy snow. Working on Xmas dinner. The whole sub went out tongiht to have a celebration. We went to one estaminet and were turned out at 8 [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_206

Transcript:

[start page] CASH ACCOUNT - DECEMBER Date Particulars Received Paid pm. We hit another one and were turned out by the M.Ps. Hit another one and stayed till 9. The boys went home happy with a bunch of glasse (?) and [1 word]. Dell, Grieve made a speech and J. Innis would do nothing but sing. Some Xmas Eve. Dec. 25th Xmas Day. Up at the same old time. Weather cold. Had orders t go up the line and take over the guns of D48 and accordingly did so. Rode up to Marble Arch and it was sure cold. Then walked to new position and took over. I got a gun that was salved at Y. Its some baby. However can't do much shooting with it. Had bully beef for dinner and a crust of bread. For supper had jam and bread. Xmas Day too some war. Have a dugout 35 feet [end page] [start page] ANNUAL CASH SUMMARY Received Paid down. She's bon! Quiet time tonight. Dec. 26th Weather cold. Up 9 am and got orders to proceed to wagon lines to assist with Xmas dinner. Snow was pretty thick and hard on horses. Worked all day on feed and at 6 pm sat down to pig and all that. It was a good [1 word] Had a concert afterwards. Dec. 27th Weather cold. Walked up to battery this afternoon. Some [1 word] We pulled our gun out this afternoon to trade with the forward section and slipped a new one in. Had a smoking concert tonight in the basement of a big house. Dec. 28th Snowing. [1 word] a stand to on some. [1 word] Mortars before we were up and shot over 25 rounds in [1 word] [end page]

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_207

Transcript:

[start page] MEMORANDA time. We have some smart gunners. Laid up with strained back as result of moving gun. Fritz is getting active. Had change of ammunition fatigue tonight. Got a big bunch in. Pretty cold. Dec. 29th Had to get after Fritz's [2 words] morning. Plenty of snow. Back sore. Ordered to report to wagon lines tonight so shifted down on G.S. wagon. Found we had shifted billets. We are now in a model billet constructed and evacuated by the engineers. Dec. 30th Laid in. Back sore. The huts are mighty cold when getting up in the morning. This is the Sabbath Day and I got up in time to take the church parade. Went to the YM. tonight and heard [1 word] Cameron speak. He was good [end page] [start page] A. S. 8-19 67 sq miles 13 1/2 miles average depth 27 villages 16 divisions engaged 9.131 prisoners 190 guns howitzer 1040 m g and t m AR-s. 26-5 56 sq miles 12 1/4 mile deep 89 guns 2.41 [1 word] 6 anti-tank guns 1016 machine guns 73 T.M. 10350 prisoners 22 villages 8872

Download Current File

Page Title:

AR394_WAH_03_14_02_208

Download Current File