January 1918

Cold.

Opened the year at McCuaig’s camp in Bois des Alleux, having driven over with Marshall in our new cutter. – When we had given the New Year a good start we drove home to bed.

Everyone feeling fairly seedy this morning. – Feeling the need of fresh air, attended the outdoor boxing up at V Sq’dn & had tea up there. – Jolly cold too.

Rolston paid us a visit.

– Marshall & I drove over to McCuaig’s again to dinner & spent the evening playing “nap” – McLean of the 12th was there.

A big list of “Mentions” in the Times.

Mild.

Graves drove the cutter with a tandem this morning. – Rain this aft has spoilt the snow for the present.

Must have picked up a bit of a cold yesterday. – Feeling a bit groggy.

Murray’s relief came up to-day – a capt. Chap name of Sturt

+25

Mild.

Brekker in bed again. – Getting to be a habit. – Met Grout at the club. – Told me Sinclair is “Missing”. Got started for Italy but was side-tracked at CAMBRAI.

Big list of D.S.O.’s in the “Times” – Pep gets his at last, along with Hertz, Lynn, Pat Goldie, Rogers, Bill McTaggat, Walter Hyde, the C.E., Hank Smith etc.

Tried to get Bull to run me back to the 3rd but his cars were out.

Sproule was in. – Building a 1st Div Memorial near Commdts House.

Wheeler has a learner here for a day.

R.A. Band at Cinema this aft

+14

Cold.

Got up to breakfast for a change.

Murray went on leave.

Cooper came back.

That’s all

+5

Cold.

New Year’s List of M.C.’s in the “Times” – Stitt & McCuaig among them.

Sproule in to tea.

Wheeler & Peake & I went to the show

-26

Cold to rain at night.

In bed till jolly near noon.

Meant to write letters all day but this aft. Evans & Bradley from 16 sqdn. came down & after dinner an argument developed which took up the whole evening.

Coldish.

Going to be trouble with the chinks soon. – They are the limit.

Nothing much doing to-day. Let Gus go off to bed too early again to-night.

-6

Snow – Cold Wind.

Met Marshall at the club & drove into AUBIGNY after lunch. – A bit cold but sleigh ran well.

Had a peculiar evening. The Skipper & I got after the 215th being the last night they will all be in the mess. – Peake goes on leave tomorrow & the others will move to the new camp on Friday.

+70

Blizzardy. – West wind, Milder.

Nothing much doing. – Am threatened with some work in the near future. – Up forward, at that. – Hope it won’t interfere with leave.

Peverel went on leave. – Sent the shield Gasson has been making for me, over by him.

– To-night we switched to Vingt-et-un for Sturt’s benefit. – Nothing much in it

-6

Mild

Nothing further about our job to-day. – I need work of some kind or I’ll bust from over-eating. – Feel awfully groggy after lunch. – Went up to 16 sqdn. to dinner. – Don’t like to run down hospitality but the bunch you meet in a Flying Corps Mess now-a-days isn’t up to the standard of two years ago. – They are good chaps, but there is a difference. – Young Bradley is a comical little beggar. – They had a Cinema show after dinner. – Hamel of 5 sqdn. (from Quebec) was shot down by a Hun near Farbus to-day – His observer was also killed.

Rain.

Skipper laid up.

Rolston gone to hospital with a broken rib.

215th moved up to new mess quarters, still messing here.

– Dupuis is prophysying the end of the war next month, giving Rev xiii as his authority.

-2

Fine & muddy.

Brekker in bed at Cooper’s suggestion.

Played two-handed vingt-et-un with Sturt after lunch, & then went to the movies.

+34 (21)

Fine

Mac blew in while I was still at breakfast, so didn’t go down to the yard this A.M. – He stayed to lunch but beat it back right after. –

215th were going to shift their mess to-day. – Murray was detailed to come up & take over the cooking again, but he went out at noon to celebrate his reinstatement with the result that he came back tacking into the yard just as the General’s car pulled up at the office – Total eclipse of M. – Borrowed Winter’s side-car & went up to Gouy. – Saw G.H. Mac & framed up a trip to Nice if our leaves coincide. – Saw Cassels & heard news of C.E.T.D.

Laurie back from leave.

+32 (21)

Snow – Fair & cold.

Up for brekker. – The O.C. gave Murray 14 days #1 which he is working out in the kitchen – Probably we’ll all be poisoned. – The 215th made their final shift to-day but had to come back to dinner.

Should have gone for a walk this aft. – Feel awfully stuffy.

+6 – 146

Rain. – Blustery.

The mess seems quite shrunk now the 215th have departed. – Nothing much doing int he yard. – Got off some overdue letters.

We played bridge tonight for a change. – It’s a great game but can’t say I’m a brilliant success at it.

Had a letter from John to-day. – He seems to be making quite a splash in his first year.

Windy. – Rain.

Mac came down this morning & stayed to lunch. – My job that Jeff has been threatening me with almost materialized to-day. – Just going to move up to signals to live when the boss called him up & he switch the job to 2nd A.T. – Had an S.O.S. from Boswell this aft. which I couldn’t answer. – Rode back to Villers behind Mac on the solo & had dinner with them.

-2 (144)

Rain

Miserable sort of day.

Walked over to 3rd A.T. Coy & played the gram-a-phone. – Stayed to dinner with Simpson & New. – S. drove me abc in the side car & stayed for a couple of rubbers. – He has a great yarn now about the formation of another Corps. – They are great on rumours over there. I got the yarn about the formation of Eng. Bns. from them. – However I should not be surprised to see a change of some sort, but it’s hardly worth hoping for promotion

Fair.

Row in the mill to-day. – A coolie butted into the engine-room & refused to leave. – When ejected he returned with a gang to beat up Peebles – Rasmess & Thompson assisted in clearing them out. – Skipper & I went over to dine with Brotchy, Crabb & Co. – Spent a pleasant evening

55 (199)

Mild.

Nothing much doing –

Ramsay decided not to take the matter of the row up any further. – The coolies who were mixed up in it got sufficient punishment.

Had a domino session with Sturt this aft. & bridge after dinner.

Dull to rain

Nothing doing.

Played a little two-handed “Vanty” with Sturt this aft. & a couple of rubbers of bridge to-night

Mild.

My Jonah day. – Luck switched with a bump.

– Even Sturt got after me at “Vanty”.

Murray came back from leave. – Mac & Prowse came down to dinner.

Cook blew in on his way back from Blighty. – Could not get a car so is staying the night.

Dull – Rainy.

Nothing doing. – No mail. STURT went away to-day – Got back at him a bit first. – We all went to the “Tonics” to-night. – V.G.

Fine.

All serene till Bull Boswell appeared on the scene about 3 P.M. – Gus & I took him to the show after which we visited the club & picked up deGannay & brought him up to dinner. – XIII Corps Tps Sup Col. were over & later Dunn & FitzGerald came down for Bull.

Dull.

Smeed Bull came down to lunch.

Went over to 3rd A.T. Coy to tea & then up to CAMBLAIN to see the “Bow-Bells” in “Cinderella” It was great – Went back to 3rd A.T. to dinner.

Fine & Mild.

Nothing in particular. –

Crabb went on leave.

A pretty girl was seen in the village.

Fritz’s planes were over a lot this morning & as it is bright moonlight I expect they are making use to-night of what information they gained. – Our own birds have been going & coming since dusk. – Doing the dirty on him I ’opes. – Quite a strafe up Oppy way between 9 & 10.

Raw. – Misty at night.

Hal Mooney paid the yard a visit.

We went to the “Bow Bells” show at CAMPLAIN again tonight. – It was a special concert in aid of the “leave club” in Paris – Very good but didn’t care for it as well as the pantomime. – Got a ride up to the show on a tender with Graves & Marshall & some of V Sq’d’n but we were sponging. – Some people are only friendly when they want a favor from you.

Met Lovell Baker in the new Corps Club. – It’s a fine place.

Fine. – to misty

Can. mail reported to be in, but none appeared.

Wrote to R. Scott this evening & then went in & discussed the war with Gus till the fire went out. – We decided that we’re licked.

Fine.

Maj. Lindsay (I Div Am. Pk) came down to lunch.

Went for a walk out around ACQ this aft. – Bull was in for a while. – Will be going on leave soon.

Capt. Robertson (Ike) was in to tea. – We all went up to the 215th to dinner & a very good one it was. – Afterwards we were entertained at cards.

– Just figuring out to-day how much garden we can put in.

– Fritz was doing the dirty in the vicinity again tonight.

+29

Fine

Walked into AUBIGNY with Murray and Jake this aft. Called at the C.C.S. (42) & on Tobin. – Came up on the leave train.

No mail yet.

“John Bull” offices done in by an air-raid – What will Bottomley say now?

Fair.

Tobin came up to lunch so we invited Clover & his gang over to entertain him this aft.

Again no mail.

We all went to the “Owls” to-night. – Now I’m going to bed.

Note – Murray had to work all aft.

Anniversary of the storming of the Double Crassier.

Cold, raw, damp, foggy

Wet, moist & miserable.

NO MAIL YET.

Read Locke’s “The Red Planet”, lent me by Parker.