Warm. – The usual in the morning. – Spent the aft. Playing in one of the “Rough [round?] Games” – “In cabgate & report please”. Investigated R.G.A. Batt. 3rd F.C.C.E. – D.A.C. – 2nd Bn – Capt. Edwards, 1st Bgde Vet – Had dinner with Boney & 2nd F.C.C.E. – Captive Balloon broke loose back of Kemmel
Arranging leave with Alex.
Warm. Alex came up and we rode into Pop. – Met Norm McCaghey & Bill Abbot at lunch – Something stirring – Orderlies from the 43rd came around to look for officers to report to Bn at once. – After lunch went out to connaught lines and over near Abeele to buy lace. – Back to camp about 4 P.M. – Ball game with 2nd called off as latter are standing to. – Several Battns went up & Amm. wagons are busy. – Lively strafe for about half an hour at dusk. – Working parties had a thin time around Bridge 18.
[Note: entries for June 3 & 4 were written as one combined entry, covering the Battle of Mount Sorrel.]
DUE FOR LEAVE
Still testing my luck. – Went up with Mac to Br. 18 – Had to hit the ditch a couple of times. Called in at Belg. Batty & got shell case. Nobody knows what has been going on. – Stopped in at 3rd F.C. to play “If you were the only” – on the gramophone & had lunch. Orderly came up with orders to recall all working parties & stand by in billets. – Dirty work at the cross-roads. – Rolston came up. Just back from leave with news of a naval defeat. – Bright outlook. – Report that Fritz came over yesterday A.M. between Hooge & Hill 60 – 1st C.M.R.s cut up – Orders up to dig in Artillery tonight. – Slipped a couple of G.S. biscuits in my pocket, an extra clip in the pouch. Visited the 3rd for a pocketfull of issues & something to fall back on – Bring on your batteries. And they came. – Didn’t get very far away from camp but spent a busy night. Issuing material – Swiping waggons & chasing round in the side car – Got 27 wagon’s at one swoop about midnight. – Routed out the wire parties to load – Kept them going till daylight & then sent Haig back to issue rum. – I wish some of the people who want it stopped had been there. – Some job handing the traffic round that corner all night. – Rolston & Ken Stewart smoked all my DeReszkes & I had to raid the 3rd F.C. at 3 A.M. for refreshment. – Had breakfast for all at 5 A.M. Cavalry officers came in – Met Padres Scott & Gordon coming down about 4.30 & brought them in. News of doing at Zillebeke – 3rd Bgde into it. Rolled in about 6 A.M. – Shires came down dog tired. – Got him a bed. – Up at 8 – Went up to 3rd for news – Pep still up the line – Orders in for me to go down & live with Cavalry for work on GHQ 2nd. – No word of stopping leave. Packed up & went into Pop in the side-car. Strings of heavies coming out – Hate to be leaving at this time – Got a bunk at the Y.M. & went to sleep for a while
Mercer & Williams missing
Buller Killed
Hamilton Gault wounded
At the very end of a long, chaotic combined entry for June 3-4, mostly wagons, wire parties, and rumors, Robertson sets three lines apart from the rest, almost like a bulletin: "Mercer & Williams missing," "Buller Killed," "Hamilton Gault wounded." These are the human cost of a sudden German assault on the Canadian Corps' positions near Ypres, capturing the high ground at Mount Sorrel within hours. Major-General Malcolm Mercer, killed in the opening bombardment, remains the highest-ranking Canadian officer killed during the entire war; Brigadier-General Victor Williams was captured. The Canadian Corps recaptured the lost ground on June 13, but at a further cost of thousands of casualties, a battle fought almost entirely within earshot of where Robertson himself was stationed that week. He was headed out on leave as it broke: "Hate to be leaving at this time."
The situation that night, mapped →
Lost an hour by daylight saving bill.
Up at 3.45 A.M. Had a cup of tea and went over to the station. Drizzly rain. – No sign of Turner. He had not come down from the line when men left the billet. – Slow trip down with Ed. Archibald, a 1st CMR capt. & some imperials. – 1st C.M.R’s answered roll call yesterday 60 strong. Arr’d Boulogne 10.30 – Got nabbed to march a party to the boat. – Chased up to #3 – Saw Scriver & Tinling & Doc. Browne – Had nose examined. – Good excuse for extra leave. – Boat left 12.45 – No time for lunch. – Pretty tough – Sick – Got seat in pullman. Arr’d London 6 P.M. – Went to R.A.C. full up – No message – Went to Cecil. Met Pete – Fooled round till too late for dinner. – Went to the Alhambra “Bing Boys” – Good show, but too near all in to enjoy it.
Showery. – Up at 9. Spent an hour or so having breakfast. Met Doug. Armstrong “5th Div C.E.”. Beat it down to Welton’s and ordered jacked & staff breeks. – Went to 11 & 12 ch. x. – Had lunch with Uncle. – Visited “Star” office & strolled up Regent St. to do some shopping. – Accumulated some stuff at Hope’s & wandered back to meet Charley. – Went out to Streatham & spent a quiet evening altho I did hear a gas alarm once.
Kitchener reported drowned on his way to Russia. – More news of naval battle coming in makes things no so bad after all.
The "naval defeat" Robertson mentions a few days earlier was the Battle of Jutland; the news that reaches him now in London is even bigger. Lord Kitchener (Secretary of State for War, and the face of Britain's recruitment drive since 1914) drowned when his ship struck a mine en route to Russia. It was one of the most shocking single losses of the war on the home front, robbing Britain of arguably its most recognizable wartime figure at the height of the fighting on the Somme and at Verdun.
Showery. – Official announcement of Kitcherner’s death and orders out for officers’ mourning. Stopped at Berkley’s on way in and had mine put up. – Called on High Comm’s office. – Went to ch. x. – Up to His Majesty’s for seats – Over to the Cecil – Sent wire. Met Millbanks to see casualty lists. – Down to Pym’s & back to Simpson’s for lunch. Met Ada & Allie at ch. x. Went to His Majesty’s – Martin Harvey in “Henry 8”. Very Good. – Met Pete at the Grand. Went over to the Savoy – Met Ray Hebden, Waller & Chapman. – Started out to have dinner & a show. – Found ourselves broke. Went to Maple Leaf Club & raised a little wind.
Clear. – Came in town with Uncle – Went to Bromley. Saw Mac – Came in town about 2. Had a seance with the barber. – Went down to Welton’s & got new jacket. – Some swank. – Met Pue in Cecil with his face in a sling. – Looking for something to do. – Met a Nfld. chap & went to the Cave for tea. – Oh you Trixie [maybe] Turner landed in just as I was leaving. Came in yesterday. – All serene. Met Charley 5.30 – Went to Palladium – Good show. – Afterwards to the Queens – Fay Compton (pretty as ever) in “The Boomerang” – Supper & home James [maybe].
Showery. – Up with the birds. Went in town with Charley 8.20 – Saw Turner at Cecil and got news of the war. – Caught 10.15 Waterloo for B’mouth – Uneventful journey – Arr’d 12.
Warm – Clear. Killing time all morning. – Took Bevan’s section on Inf. drill in aft. – Cut it out on account of planes. – Took Turner’s house out for exercise. – Some pony. – Went to 9th F.C. + saw Young. – Called at 2nd A.T. Co’y – Macdonald sprung a celebration on us. – The old dog is going to Blitey next week to get married. – Poked the pasteboards for a while, with less disaster than usual. – Wilkes went to 1st Co’y.
Warm. – A bit foggy in the dome this morning. Went out + watch Pete & Guy playing with the pontoons. – Shires came around + took the service this aft – Went down & arranged football match with 2nd A.T. Co’y – Took a walk over thro. Vlammertinghe with the skipper & Casey. – A different stroll to last Sunday. – Wrote dad + went to bed.
Warm. – Bevan & Casey had the pontoons in the pond. Nothing to do + no energy to do it. – Turned showery this aft but cleared up for the football match. – The boys put up a good game & tied 3-3. – Started out after dinner to call on the 2nd H.B. & give Peterson a message. – Found their old billet spread all over the country. – Located Pete & Bethune at the guns & stayed around till about 11. – Came in & found a heated seniority debate on.
Warm. – Got bust on uniforms for the team. – Drew a dozen G.S. shirts from Q.M.S. + have McLafferty & Dionne cutting them down to football jerseys & putting Divl Eng sign on them. – Had the team out practising for return match. Pep’s majority came thro’ also Mac’s long delayed Captaincy.
Warm – Orderly officer. – Nothing to do but look wise. – Lost my pipe – Took Turner’s pony out for exercise + rose over to the 1st F.C. with Casey. – Had a fine gallop cross-country between here and Ouderdom. – Great excitement caused by report that promotion is to go by Corps seniority, nobody gives a hoot about poor supernumaries. C.R.E. paid us a visit. – Peterson dropped in for a short while. Pep says nothing re my going up.
Hot + close. – The same old stuff all morning. – Went up forward with Guy after lunch. Hot walk. – Fritz busy strafing between Lille gate & shrapnel cor. Also back of Swan Chateau. – Sergt Jackson killed. – Hunting for Mackie to get him down in time for the game. – Visited 6th Batty. – 11th in new position nr. Blauepoort Fm. + 12th. – Came down to match. We got licked. – Williamson hurt. Letter with snaps from Pat. Dead tired. – 3 + 4 secs. in line.
"Sergt Jackson killed." A few lines later, in the same entry: "Came down to match. We got licked. – Williamson hurt." Then: "Dead tired."
Close - Thunder storms. Mac. got away on leave. – Went up to Ry. dugouts with Pep this aft. Pretty warm going up – Got drenched coming back. – Kicked the football + tossed a game of quoits after dinner. – Pete Cornell was around with 4th Batty wagons. – Cleaned up on Casey + Bevan playing cold hands. – The big drive is rumored to be on down south. – Guess we will stick here.
Rainy to fair. Took drivers parade. – Played solitaire all morning – Repeated in afternoon – Was cleared up by Bevan & Casey at Pontoon.
Warm – Orderly dog – Took parade + went back to bed till noon. – Went up front with the O.C. & had lunch with the boys. – Padre Gordon took the service. – Went down to 2nd A.T. Co’y Concert.
A bit of a strafe going on over on the Guards front.
Bombardment started nr. LaBassee.
Alexander came in on his way out. – Fed him + sent him on his way rejoicing.
Bevan wandered in about 1 ac.emma after a visit to the 2nd Co’y.
Rainy. Went up to 2nd Batt’y with Bevan – Saw Cameron – Cape’s Battery in nr. Dickebusch. – Looked them up this aft – Ernie at billets nr. Vlammer so missed him. – Started to rain like blazes. – Canon Scott came in to spend the night & entertained us with some of his poetry. – Sergt. McLean + several drivers hit coming back past Hell-fire corner. Think I will go up with the Transport tomorrow night.
Casey went down to Corps to build model trenches so I get the next tour with Bevan. Went up to Ry. Dugouts with the Maj. & stayed up to go over Harvey’s end. – A beautiful country, especially round Sanctuary Wood. Fritz attacked on 13th Front last night, but the Jacks were up on the parapet with bombs & only two Boches got in. – Poor old Capt. Buchanan cashed in. – His seniority won’t bother him now.
A week after grumbling that promotion was going by Corps seniority and "nobody gives a hoot about poor supernumaries" (June 21), Robertson writes this: "Poor old Capt. Buchanan cashed in. – His seniority won't bother him now." The dark joke only lands because of what came before it, his own anxiety about rank and standing, set against a death that makes all of it moot for one particular officer. The list he was grumbling about, an actual printed roster of every Canadian Engineers officer, ranked for promotion, is among his papers in a copy he corrected in May 1917.
The Corps seniority list he kept →
Got in about 2.30 AM. Breakfast & bed at 4. – Got up at 10 & tramped down to billets via route A. – Called at 107th & saw Ernie & some of the others. Stayed down to bring the secs. Up. – Left billets 9.15 – All quiet. – Mahaffy in at Ry. D.O. Leave stopped so Pete’s out of luck.
Quiet. – Nothing to report. New asst wirer turned up. – A garrulous youth from the 14th – Has been out a month & is quite a veteran. Went up to Vigo St. to see the Tunnerlers about 5 P.M. – Got back about 9. – C.R.E paid a visit. A cat & 4 kittens have adopted us. – Are paying their board by catching rats which they leave on Bevan’s bed.