May 1917
4th Friday
Changed from Ward Duty, and went into Dressing Station.
18th Friday
Part of B Sect leave Aix-Noulette, and march to Lievin, myself going by Car.
19th Saturday
Day Stretcher Bearer.
Lens 2 miles.
26th Saturday/27th Sunday
At 12pm o’clock we left Lievin in small parties, and marched to Aix-Noulette. Germans shelled continually all the way and we arrived at the latter place at 3am o’clock 27th, and slept til 7am. At 8.30am marched away from Aix-Noulette for (blank, probably Labeuvrière) a 17 miles journey. The weather being extremely hot, we arrived at our destination at 4pm o’clock, all of us beat. Billeted at Hospital. C and part of B Sect run the Corps Rest Station, which is a lovely place. The village being nice country. The rest of the Unit work the line in front of Lens.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
April 1917
April 1917
1st Sunday
Left and marched to Malonely Farm near Ham. This is a fine Chateau surrounded with water, and has an old castle. A party of 22 men of B Sect open up hospital. Rest of Unit at Ecquedecques.
2nd Monday/6th Friday
Night Hospital Duty.
Football match with N Staffs, score, Staffs 7, Unit 0.
13th Friday
March away from Malonely Farm, and Unit arrive at Béthune.
14th Saturday
Béthune.
Company and Physical Drill during morning. Germans shell the town at night, one shell dropped a few yards from hospital.
15th Sunday
General duty. Church service during afternoon in Hospital Ward, and I also went to a fine service at night, held in theatre.
16th Monday
Company and Physical Drill in Hospital grounds, and in the course of same a German plane flies over us, and drops bombs in Béthune Square about 100 yards from Hospital, a few civilians and our soldiers killed and wounded, our Bearers turn out.
17th Tuesday
Unit take a march out and pass through Hinges.
18th Wednesday
Stretcher bearer at hospital for 24 hours.
19th Thursday
Unit march away from Béthune to Aix-Noulette which is a shell ruined village, billeted in Brewery cellar.
23rd Monday
Division make a Charge in front of Lens, Notts & Derbys & Leics, many casualties.
26th Thursday
Staff Sgt Hiddins killed in action.
[Staff Serjeant Hidens, RAMC]
1st Sunday
Left and marched to Malonely Farm near Ham. This is a fine Chateau surrounded with water, and has an old castle. A party of 22 men of B Sect open up hospital. Rest of Unit at Ecquedecques.
2nd Monday/6th Friday
Night Hospital Duty.
Football match with N Staffs, score, Staffs 7, Unit 0.
13th Friday
March away from Malonely Farm, and Unit arrive at Béthune.
14th Saturday
Béthune.
Company and Physical Drill during morning. Germans shell the town at night, one shell dropped a few yards from hospital.
15th Sunday
General duty. Church service during afternoon in Hospital Ward, and I also went to a fine service at night, held in theatre.
16th Monday
Company and Physical Drill in Hospital grounds, and in the course of same a German plane flies over us, and drops bombs in Béthune Square about 100 yards from Hospital, a few civilians and our soldiers killed and wounded, our Bearers turn out.
17th Tuesday
Unit take a march out and pass through Hinges.
18th Wednesday
Stretcher bearer at hospital for 24 hours.
19th Thursday
Unit march away from Béthune to Aix-Noulette which is a shell ruined village, billeted in Brewery cellar.
23rd Monday
Division make a Charge in front of Lens, Notts & Derbys & Leics, many casualties.
26th Thursday
Staff Sgt Hiddins killed in action.
[Staff Serjeant Hidens, RAMC]
March 1917
March 1917
1st Thursday
I left Gaudiempre and joined my Sect at Berles-au-Bois and immediately sent to Dugout at Farnborough Road Trench. Germans evacuate Gommecourt Wood and village just on right of this front.
2nd Friday
Farnborough Road Dugout. Plenty of shelling takes place on both sides. Visit to Berles during afternoon, and on Gas guard at dug-out from 10pm ‘til 3am.
3rd Saturday
Dug-out.
Went to Berles during afternoon, and at that time heavily bombarded and killed 2, wounding several.
4th Sunday
Farnborough Road Dug-out.
Went to Berles-au-Bois during afternoon, and there witnessed air duel with 5 German planes against 1 of our scout planes. The former planes opened out with all their Maxim guns, and shot off the tail of our plane, and riddled the air men with bullets, the plane crashing to the ground. A squad of 4 of us was sent out to bring in the 2 corpses, and we had to go 2 miles to get at same which was just on our line. The Germans shelled heavy and trained Maxim gun on area where plane had dropped. After 4 hours we returned with corpses, and also left Farnborough Road Dug-out and came back to Berles-au-Bois.
5th Monday
Berles.
At night Germans pour hundreds of gas shells into this village just as we got to bed. Alarm was given and all gas helmets immediately worn and all men up.
Civilians gassed, cows killed with gas, and good number of casualties. None of our men could sleep in same dug-out as it was full of gas. I got to bed at 12pm in cave.
12th Monday
Hospital Orderly Duty.
At night 137 Bgde attack in front of Gommecourt and get in German lines but had to retire later.
14th Wednesday
200 stretcher cases all wounded came into our place and about 300 Sitting went direct to Cas. Cle. Sta. (Casualty Clearing Station)
15th Thursday
Hospital Duty.
Germans start a retirement. British and French still advance.
22nd Thursday
The Unit marched away from Gaudiempre at 2pm o’clock and arrived at Bus (Bus-lès-Artois) 9 miles away. Billeted in huts.
23rd Friday
Bus.
Spent the day overhauling medical and surgical panniers.
24th Saturday
The Unit march away from Bus at 2.30pm and arrive at Contay, a distance of 10 miles. Billeted in School.
25th Sunday
We marched away from Contay at 2pm o’clock and arrived at Villers-Bocage.
26th Monday
Left Villers-Bocage and motored to Saveuse passing through Amiens.
28th Wednesday
Saveuse.
29th Thursday
Entrained at Bacouel and detrained at Berguette. 12 hours journey
31st Saturday
Ecquedecques.
Smoke helmet inspector.
1st Thursday
I left Gaudiempre and joined my Sect at Berles-au-Bois and immediately sent to Dugout at Farnborough Road Trench. Germans evacuate Gommecourt Wood and village just on right of this front.
2nd Friday
Farnborough Road Dugout. Plenty of shelling takes place on both sides. Visit to Berles during afternoon, and on Gas guard at dug-out from 10pm ‘til 3am.
3rd Saturday
Dug-out.
Went to Berles during afternoon, and at that time heavily bombarded and killed 2, wounding several.
4th Sunday
Farnborough Road Dug-out.
Went to Berles-au-Bois during afternoon, and there witnessed air duel with 5 German planes against 1 of our scout planes. The former planes opened out with all their Maxim guns, and shot off the tail of our plane, and riddled the air men with bullets, the plane crashing to the ground. A squad of 4 of us was sent out to bring in the 2 corpses, and we had to go 2 miles to get at same which was just on our line. The Germans shelled heavy and trained Maxim gun on area where plane had dropped. After 4 hours we returned with corpses, and also left Farnborough Road Dug-out and came back to Berles-au-Bois.
5th Monday
Berles.
At night Germans pour hundreds of gas shells into this village just as we got to bed. Alarm was given and all gas helmets immediately worn and all men up.
Civilians gassed, cows killed with gas, and good number of casualties. None of our men could sleep in same dug-out as it was full of gas. I got to bed at 12pm in cave.
12th Monday
Hospital Orderly Duty.
At night 137 Bgde attack in front of Gommecourt and get in German lines but had to retire later.
14th Wednesday
200 stretcher cases all wounded came into our place and about 300 Sitting went direct to Cas. Cle. Sta. (Casualty Clearing Station)
15th Thursday
Hospital Duty.
Germans start a retirement. British and French still advance.
22nd Thursday
The Unit marched away from Gaudiempre at 2pm o’clock and arrived at Bus (Bus-lès-Artois) 9 miles away. Billeted in huts.
23rd Friday
Bus.
Spent the day overhauling medical and surgical panniers.
24th Saturday
The Unit march away from Bus at 2.30pm and arrive at Contay, a distance of 10 miles. Billeted in School.
25th Sunday
We marched away from Contay at 2pm o’clock and arrived at Villers-Bocage.
26th Monday
Left Villers-Bocage and motored to Saveuse passing through Amiens.
28th Wednesday
Saveuse.
29th Thursday
Entrained at Bacouel and detrained at Berguette. 12 hours journey
31st Saturday
Ecquedecques.
Smoke helmet inspector.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)