May 1916
1st Monday
Bailleul-aux-Cornailles.
Day Duty.
Lovely weather prevails.
Sleeping out in the field.
3rd Wednesday
Day Duty.
Many of our Sect in Hospital sick with trench fever.
Packed up at night ready for move, David goes on leave, and from then it stops until again settled.
[This diary entry is clear enough, but not sure what he meant; probably talking about the move.]
6th Saturday
Reveille 5am.
The Unit march away from Bailleul-aux-Cornailles at 8 o’clock am, midday halt at 11.30 am ‘til 12 mid. A drink of tea served, and afterwards march away. arrive at Ivergny 1pm o’clock, billeted in barns but slept out in orchard, and at 1 o’clock am I had to carry my bed back into the barn owing to heavy rain, and then I had to be troubled with army of rats.
Marched away at 1 o’clock and arrived at Gaudiempre at 6 o’clock pm.
Billeted in barns.
9th Tuesday
Gaudiempre.
Left at 10pm by Motor Ambulance and arrived at Doullens Station at 11pm and stayed the night there.
Left Doullens by 6.30 am train, and arrived at Havre 9pm o’clock, and immediately embarked on ‘Monids Queen’ which sailed midnight and arrived Southampton 9am. London 12 midday, Wolverhampton 4.20 pm.
13th Saturday
Home on leave.
Went out to tea Portland Street. Spent night at the shop.
14th Sunday
Ringing at St Giles.
Met Ethel at Park Brook.
Home for the day, had a good party, rang at St Giles at night, and attended service.
15th Monday
Home.
Lovely weather prevails.
Had tea at Hunt’s, Wood St, having fine times.
[Anne Hunt was Ethel sister in law]
PS Eng.
[Not sure what this last entry means - got engaged perhaps?]
16th Tuesday
Spent day at Harry’s.
Dinner Park Lane.
Tea. Will Ward’s.
[ Both Will & Harry were Franks elder brothers ]
Fallsinge Park. Colosseum Dudley Road at night.
17th Wednesday
Home.
Went out to dinner at Dugmores, and tea along with Ethel at Wards.
[ It was Thomas Dugmore who managed the company of Beddow & Sturmey ( lock makers ) where Frank worked before the war, he & Ethel were on friendly terms with the Dugmore family.]
Gower Street. Picture Palace.
18 Thursday
Home.
Ethel comes to dinner and afterwards we attend party at Portland St. Walsall.
19th Friday
Fine weather prevails.
Went to Wolverhampton in afternoon, had Photo taken and came and had tea at Arthur Dugmore’s.
Supper at Clemson Street.
20th Saturday
Home and spent day there.
21st Sunday/22nd Monday
Daylight Saving Bill comes into force.
Left Willenhall by 10.20am train and Wolverhampton by 11am. Ethel travelled with me to Birmingham. I left that place at 11.45am London 3pm, had tea, and left for Southampton at 4.30pm.
Sailed 8pm on ‘Hark Angel’ liner, landed at Havre 3.30am and immediately entrained, and arrived at Doullens 8pm o’clock and had a lift on motor bus, and walked from St Pas to camp arriving at 11pm.
23rd Tuesday
Gaudiempre.
Bivouacking out.
Fine weather prevails.
B Sect still running canvas Hospital.
First day of my reserve year.
25th Thursday
Gaudiempre.
Football match in 3rd round of Wortley’s Cup, replay.
5 N Staffs 3 Unit 2.
26th Friday
Lovely weather prevails.
29th Monday
Gaudiempre.
Night Orderly Duties.
Hours 7pm to 7am.
A Sect still running the line and C and part of B digging communications trench.
31st Wednesday
Night Duty.
Great Naval Battle off Jutland Bank, British losses six large ships and eight destroyers. German losses 20 ships.
[Later information says that the Germans lost one battle cruiser, one pre-Dreadnought, four light cruisers and five destroyers, while the British lost three battle cruisers, four armoured cruisers, and eight destroyers. Many of the surviving German heavy ships had suffered serious damage, increasing the British dominance in heavy ships. The outcome was indecisive, but the German Fleet stayed in port for the duration of the Great War, until scuttled by the German Navy at Scapa Flow on 21st June 1919, after the Treaty of Versailles.]
Monday 3 August 2009
April 1916
April 1916
1st Saturday
Bath house orderly.
Heavy artillery bombardment at night.
5th Wednesday
Ecoivres.
Police duty.
6th Thursday
Left Ecoivres at 6.30pm o’clock by Car for firing lines at Neuville-Saint-Vaaste, billeted in Dressing Station which is the Cellar of ruined Brewery, in which are supports erected by Germans.
7th Friday/9th Sunday
Went up to Medical Aid post of 6th South Staffs in the morning all the way by communication trenches, the chief being Chassery, the former is deep and well made, a good deal of sniping is done, and not much more rifle fire, chiefly bombing and mining, by craters, which are continually blown up on both sides. All the villages here are blown to the ground. The French did part of same to drive out Germans September 1915. Close fighting took place, French on one side of the streets in Neuville-Saint-Vaaste bombing Germans on the other. I visited reserve lines of trenches.
10th Monday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Fetched out of bed at 2am o’clock, to go up 6th M. Aid Post for dead officer, had to bring him back by communications trenches, and it was very dark.
11th Tuesday
Clerk’s duty in Advanced Collecting Station. Wet weather.
13thThursday.
Advanced Dressing Station. Neuville-Saint-Vaaste Aux Rietz. Clerking
duty, and collecting from S. Staffs Aid post.
14th Friday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Clerking night duty.
Heavy artillery bombardments.
Wet weather.
16th Sunday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
A mine blown up at 12pm o’clock by Notts & Derbys, and heavy bombardment took place immediately, both sides sending showers of shells.
Night duty. Several wounded.
17th Monday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Wet weather prevails.
Night duty.
German plane drops bombs at midnight, shook dressing station.
18th Tuesday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Night Duty Clerk. Quiet night and wet weather.
19th Wednesday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Mine blown up at night under S. Staffs, but the casualties were few. Heavy shelling of trenches from both sides. Night duty.
20th Thursday.
Left Neuville-Saint-Vaaste and returned to Head Quarters Ecoivres in party of six. Division comes out of action for short rest.
21st Friday
The Unit leave Ecoivres at 9am o’clock and march 14 miles, arriving at Bailleul-aux-Cornailles at 1 o’clock pm.
Sect billeted in barn.
22 nd Saturday.
B Sect run Hospital. Night Orderly Duty. Sleep at Hospital.
23rd Sunday
Easter Sunday.
24th Monday
Night Nursing Orderly. Hospital full of patients.
25th Tuesday
Bailleul-aux-Cornailles.
Night Duty.
Orderlies go in Bell tents. Lovely weather and beautiful country surroundings.
26th Wednesday
Night Duty.
40 patients in tents.
29th Saturday
Bailleul-aux-Cornailles.
Lovely country village, tents pitched among beautiful surroundings and lovely weather prevails. Night Duty.
30th Sunday
Night Duty.
Church Parade at which only 12 of our Unit were present, the first service I have been able to attend for months. Lovely weather and fine.
Service by Chaplain Howard.
1st Saturday
Bath house orderly.
Heavy artillery bombardment at night.
5th Wednesday
Ecoivres.
Police duty.
6th Thursday
Left Ecoivres at 6.30pm o’clock by Car for firing lines at Neuville-Saint-Vaaste, billeted in Dressing Station which is the Cellar of ruined Brewery, in which are supports erected by Germans.
7th Friday/9th Sunday
Went up to Medical Aid post of 6th South Staffs in the morning all the way by communication trenches, the chief being Chassery, the former is deep and well made, a good deal of sniping is done, and not much more rifle fire, chiefly bombing and mining, by craters, which are continually blown up on both sides. All the villages here are blown to the ground. The French did part of same to drive out Germans September 1915. Close fighting took place, French on one side of the streets in Neuville-Saint-Vaaste bombing Germans on the other. I visited reserve lines of trenches.
10th Monday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Fetched out of bed at 2am o’clock, to go up 6th M. Aid Post for dead officer, had to bring him back by communications trenches, and it was very dark.
11th Tuesday
Clerk’s duty in Advanced Collecting Station. Wet weather.
13thThursday.
Advanced Dressing Station. Neuville-Saint-Vaaste Aux Rietz. Clerking
duty, and collecting from S. Staffs Aid post.
14th Friday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Clerking night duty.
Heavy artillery bombardments.
Wet weather.
16th Sunday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
A mine blown up at 12pm o’clock by Notts & Derbys, and heavy bombardment took place immediately, both sides sending showers of shells.
Night duty. Several wounded.
17th Monday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Wet weather prevails.
Night duty.
German plane drops bombs at midnight, shook dressing station.
18th Tuesday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Night Duty Clerk. Quiet night and wet weather.
19th Wednesday
Neuville-Saint-Vaaste.
Mine blown up at night under S. Staffs, but the casualties were few. Heavy shelling of trenches from both sides. Night duty.
20th Thursday.
Left Neuville-Saint-Vaaste and returned to Head Quarters Ecoivres in party of six. Division comes out of action for short rest.
21st Friday
The Unit leave Ecoivres at 9am o’clock and march 14 miles, arriving at Bailleul-aux-Cornailles at 1 o’clock pm.
Sect billeted in barn.
22 nd Saturday.
B Sect run Hospital. Night Orderly Duty. Sleep at Hospital.
23rd Sunday
Easter Sunday.
24th Monday
Night Nursing Orderly. Hospital full of patients.
25th Tuesday
Bailleul-aux-Cornailles.
Night Duty.
Orderlies go in Bell tents. Lovely weather and beautiful country surroundings.
26th Wednesday
Night Duty.
40 patients in tents.
29th Saturday
Bailleul-aux-Cornailles.
Lovely country village, tents pitched among beautiful surroundings and lovely weather prevails. Night Duty.
30th Sunday
Night Duty.
Church Parade at which only 12 of our Unit were present, the first service I have been able to attend for months. Lovely weather and fine.
Service by Chaplain Howard.
March 1916
March 1916
1st Wednesday
Hospital
2nd Thursday
Longvillers. Discharged from Hospital, and moved by Motor Ambulance to Mount Pleasant Farm near Doullens 10 miles, billeted in barn.
Snow fall.
5th Sunday
Mount Pleasant Farm.
Packing up waggons.
6th Monday
March away from Mount Pleasant Farm, Unit.
Snow falls during march, arrived at Canettemont, 12 miles, billeted in barn.
7th Thursday
March away from Canettemont and arrive at Magnicourt-sur-Canche 4 miles
billeted in barn from which French troops move.
11th Saturday
Unit leaves Magnicourt-sur-Canche and march to Acq 12 miles billeted in barn.
Visit Mont-Saint-Eloi which the Germans have shelled to ruins.
[Mont-Saint-Eloi is a village near Acq,with the remains of an Abbey]
12th Sunday
Acq.
Moved out of barn and billeted in large hut along with A and part of C Section.
C Section work the line.
13th Monday
March from Acq to Ecoivres, billeted at Chateau; A run Hospital.
Watch Australians big guns taken into action.
Staffs Infantry go into action.
15th Wednesday
Ecoivres.
Police duty. Inoculated.
16th Thursday
Ecoivres.
Excused duty owing to inoculation.
17th Friday - 25th Saturday
Ecoivres.
Police duty.
Notts & Derby’s charge casualties 80. 60 Bearers warned to prepare to go up trenches at 3am o’clock, but they had no further order.
29th Wednesday
Ecoivres.
Police duty.
Witness German plane brought down by one of ours in a duel.
30th Thursday - 31st Friday
Bath house orderly.
1st Wednesday
Hospital
2nd Thursday
Longvillers. Discharged from Hospital, and moved by Motor Ambulance to Mount Pleasant Farm near Doullens 10 miles, billeted in barn.
Snow fall.
5th Sunday
Mount Pleasant Farm.
Packing up waggons.
6th Monday
March away from Mount Pleasant Farm, Unit.
Snow falls during march, arrived at Canettemont, 12 miles, billeted in barn.
7th Thursday
March away from Canettemont and arrive at Magnicourt-sur-Canche 4 miles
billeted in barn from which French troops move.
11th Saturday
Unit leaves Magnicourt-sur-Canche and march to Acq 12 miles billeted in barn.
Visit Mont-Saint-Eloi which the Germans have shelled to ruins.
[Mont-Saint-Eloi is a village near Acq,with the remains of an Abbey]
12th Sunday
Acq.
Moved out of barn and billeted in large hut along with A and part of C Section.
C Section work the line.
13th Monday
March from Acq to Ecoivres, billeted at Chateau; A run Hospital.
Watch Australians big guns taken into action.
Staffs Infantry go into action.
15th Wednesday
Ecoivres.
Police duty. Inoculated.
16th Thursday
Ecoivres.
Excused duty owing to inoculation.
17th Friday - 25th Saturday
Ecoivres.
Police duty.
Notts & Derby’s charge casualties 80. 60 Bearers warned to prepare to go up trenches at 3am o’clock, but they had no further order.
29th Wednesday
Ecoivres.
Police duty.
Witness German plane brought down by one of ours in a duel.
30th Thursday - 31st Friday
Bath house orderly.
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