August 1916

Comfortably warm.

Everybody up with the birdies. – Said goodbye to [Gemiaine?] + Lydia, the flapper etc. + pulled out of 28H. 15a50 at 7 A.M. – Fairly cool till mist lifted – 1st man dropped at Ouderdom. – Several inspections on route. – Arr’d Steenvoorde early afternoon. All pretty tired. – Lots of sore feet. – Hit the hay early.

Hot. Up 1.30 A.M. – On the road at 3.30 A.M. in the cold, dank, dark morning mist. – Can’t see farther than the wheel drivers on the tool cart. – Travelling with Bgde. Pretty slow. – Inspected several times by [Juxford?] en route. Arr’d Nordkene 10.30 A.M. – Fired Gilbert + replaced him by Wilson. Billeted at Balemberg. Skirted Cassel, should liked to have gone thro’

On the road in the dark again. Short march to Watten – Billeted at EPERLECQUES. – Pretty country. Beautiful old tower on hill. Switched to #4 Section. – McK. being absorbed to #2. Went exploring with Pete + Casey – Met some hospitable Frenchmen – Sleeping under the greenwood + retired early.

Showery. – Divine service at 1st Coy. – Also 1st Coy Field sports in aft. Business of cutting down kit. – Division has gone nuts on establishment.

Nominated billeting officer for next shift. – Drifted into St. Omer with Pete this aft. – Met Canon Scott + visited the Cathedral. – Not a bad town. Some fine shops.

Interpreter arrived.

Warm. – Bombing + lot inspections. – No extras to be carried. Business of sending away surplus kit. – Stuffed in with Guy. – Ditto after dinner. – Called on #1 coy. Put up gore stripe.

Rain. – Gas helmet lecture & drill. – Business of writing letters.

Warm. – Left Watten. 11.30 – Arr’d St. Omer Stn 12.30 – Reported to S.O. orders to leave at 4.03. – Met Scott. Set out in search of lunch – Found it, très jolie – Returned to Stn. – 3.40. No place for horse on train. – Missed train. – Went back to tea – Next train 7.03 – Plenty of room for Nig. none for me. – Took side door pull man. – Am hoping it wan’t crumby. Some journey. – Calais – Boulogne.

[Note: entries for August 28 & 29 were written as one combined entry.]

Abbeville – Conteville. – Arr’d in rain – 4 A.M. – Waited till daylight & set out for Domqueur. On Nig & 2 cups of strong black coffee. Business of visiting the Mairie + getting billets. – My French isn’t all it might be. – Think I haven’t done too badly. Everybody has a feather bed. – Have swiped an H.Q. billed with most hospitable [hockers?]. – Awaiting arrival of Co’y. – Waited on road – 8 – 11.30 – Co’y arr’d & settled down. – Met Canon Scott on road alone & offered him a bed which he accepted. – He left early in the morning. The Maj. is on his ear about something. Didn’t seem to appreciate the billet and raised a Cain because I missed the train yesterday. – To bed at 3 A.M. & up at 6.30 – parade at 8 and off again. – Only a short march. – Domqueur to Halloy but the hardest the Co’y has had. – Hot & close with the Bgde marching like a concertina. Passed thro’ some of the dirtiest factory towns I’ve ever seen. Billeted at a dirty little farm.

Rain. – On the road about 8 A.M. – Marching not so hard to-day. – Saw Ed. Penny, en route. His Co’y is going out. – Started to rain between Naours & Talmas – Poured. – Billeted at LaVicoigne, – north of Talmas. Lots of mud – Mail arr’d – cakes from mother & a bid to Saw Melville’s wedding. Fell in the cess-pool – Gave the sec. a gramaphone concert in the barn. Felt like sleeping out in the straw with them. – our floor looks cold & hard. Suffering from an attack of cold Maconochie’s.

Had a rotten sleep, thank you. – Same programme. Fairly easy march. – Bivvying on hill above VADENCOURT. – Fine view. – Villages aren’t up to much round here. Bldgs. are chiefly adobe + dirty. Spur rail head at foot of hill seems to be busy all the time – Lots of Motor traffic. – Should like to get a run to AMIENS. – Our mess reminds one of a S.S. picnic. – Guy & I have tent. Rest of the gang sleeping out. – Very muddy looking lot of Anzacs coming out of line.