Archie Wills diary volume 3, September 1916 - February 1917


Description:
Item is the third of eight diaries written by Archie Wills during World War I. The diary covers the period from September 1916 to February 1917: starting with his departure from Petawawa Ontario, his travel to Halifax, Atlantic crossing on the troopship Cameronia, and arrival and training at Witley and Lark Hill camps, England. He describes the interactions of the soldiers with the local residents and excursions to London and Devonport. Wills' diary illustrates the hardship of camp life in increasingly cold and wet weather and the limited food rations. The diary includes descriptions of gun drills, exercise training, map reading courses, guard duty and caring for horses. Wills writes about significant events including zeppelin raids, an influenza epidemic, and the deaths of two soldiers. In 1917 his battalion is divided and soldiers are sent to the 51st and 58th. People mentioned include: F. C. Mason, H. L. Bowden, H. L. Innes, Stanley F. Hancock, Hugh Kelly, C. H. Webb, George Lomas.
Subjects:
World War, 1914-1918; Wills, Archie
Date:
1916-1917
Title-Alternative:
Volume 3: my life in the army by Archie H. Wills. Sept. 22 to Feb 9, 1917. England Witley, Aldershot, Salisbury Plains.
Collection:
Archie H. Wills fonds
Location(s):
England--Aldershot; England--Salisbury Plain; England--Witley

Page Title:
AR394_WAH_03_11_03_006
Transcript:
[start page] 7 which is < del> a< /del> 1 1/2 miles long. Quebec is a poor province. It is away behind the times. There is some fine farming country, but the implements used in pursuit of their vocation were antiquated and roughly improvised. The women were employed in the fields, old as well as young, while the men sat around and smoked. This disgusted all of us. We were appalled by the seemingly wonderful power of the Roman Catholic church. In some places we saw the priests in their spotless robes of rich material, while close to them were the ragged children and women of the ' flock' . Then in small farming communities where one would think [end page] [start page] the people would have a hard enough struggle to keep body and soul together, there stands a magnificent stone church with a brilliant, tall steeple pointing towards the heavens. It is too pretentious. It is out of place in the midst of miserable little farm houses In order that we might exercise ourselves our train was ordered to stop at ' Riviere du Loup' for half an hour. We arrived at 5.45pm just after supper. We were formed up and marched through town. One would have thought the place was in mourning. As we swung along the streets the French-Canadians did not appear to notice us and scarcely gave a cheer. We found a few English people and they were like an oasis in [end page]

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