·        Lovely day. Peasants going to church.
·         Played Cpls and L/Cpls at football; won by 5 to 1.
·         Good game!
·         The Coy played No. 2 at football and lost 2 to 1.
Walked with Sgt. Jealous and then turned in early.

Friday
June 2^nd

·        Aeroplanes about galore.
·         Escaped observation balloon coming our way….ours I believe…
·         Awful noise on our left.
·         Rumour of losing line.
·         Moved off at 3 PM.
·         Took up position in G, H. and L. Lines.
·         Lte. Caruthers was shot in chest and had graze on left ankle.
Kept with the Coy.

·        Stood to at 2:15 AM.  Rather light.
·         Aeroplanes about …ours.
·         Did not retake lost trenches but awful noise by bombs.
·         Lovely morning and all’s well.
·         Took trenches from Germans at dusk.
·         Lovely scene during the bombardment.
Lots and lots of casualties.

·        Returned to B Camp and then to A Camp.
·         Foot dressed and not so very bad.
·         Rather quiet all day.
·         Boys returned to camp and I made a fire for the boys.
·         Received parcel from Canada.
·         Turned in at 11PM.
Ankle sore when moving.

Monday
June 5^th

·        Still staying with transport resting ankle.  It is a lot better.
·         Heard a lot about Naval Battery. Ended in our favour.
·         Went and stood with CQMS Ward, Sgt Reed, and Sgt Trappitt.
·         Things rather quiet.
Wrote home.

·        Saw S.M. of Engineers and walked about camp for exercise.
·         26th coming in camp (ours boys in Dickebusche).
·         Another spy caught.
·         Something doing shortly.
·         Received no news from home but wrote myself.
Read novels and rested for the balance of the day.

Wednesday
June 7^th

·        Walked about for a change.
·         Sitting too monotonous.
·         Rain all day.
·         26^th left camp. Camp taken over by Regular troops.
·         Casualties in large numbers.
·         Ambulances up and down all day.
·         Wrote letters.
Cannot receive any news from home.

·        Lovely morning. 
·         Rain towards night.
·         Artillery speaking plainly.
·         German shells dropping a short distance away.
·         10 out of 12 shells are duds.
·         Wrote home.
Casualties at Dickebusche.

Friday
June 9^th

·        Wet all night.  Rain all day, very wet.
·         Sun shone occasionally.
·         Artillery going some.
·         6^th H. 3^rd D.g & Q.O.O.H. dismounted, ready for trenchs.
·         New drafts arrived.
·         Fairly quiet further up the line.
Received post card.

·        Rain all night and continued to noon.
·         Saw Sgt. Mantell over with last draft.
·         Good set of lads.
·         New draft joined Coy at night.
·         Russians doing grand work.
Also the French.

·        Rain as usual. Nothing but rain these days.
·         Did not go to church.
·         A few casualties.  Some rather serious.
·         Lads moved to new trenches the other side of the canal.
Rather bad going in.   Dead horses and broken carts, and thousands of shell holes.

·        Listening to Gramaphone playing “Where my caravan has rested.”
·         Brings back dear old memories.
Received letters and parcels and answered them.

·        A little more rain.  It would not be Belgium if it were different.
·         Received news from Canada.
·         A few casualities.
·         Lots of mud about.
Wrote home and to friends.

·        Rain! Rain! Rain!  Mud galore.
·         Artillery very noisy.
·         Shells about in all directions.
·         Received letters.
·         Lots of casualties.
·         Very few of original Battalions left.
·         Artillery all night.
·         Incessant noise.
Almost gives one a headache to listen.

·        No rain and quite a nice day.
·         Artillery fairly quiet.
·         Rumours of our retaking the Bluff.
·         Casualties rather heavy.
·         Awful bombardment but trenches still held.
·         Advanced and took trenches that the Germans took. From 1^st Division.
Lots of casualties.

·        Morning fine.
·         Artillery active and aeroplanes about.
·         Ammunition columns on the move.
·         Artillery during afternoon and evening going Hell for Hell.
·         Germans attacking from Ypres to Kemmell but they did not break through.
Received letters.

·        Artillery all night going very strong.
·         Quieting down towards noon.
·         Fairly quiet during the afternoon.
·         Almost 100 casualties in Battalion.
·         Beautiful mixture of fairy lights.
Hear noise of aeroplanes going towards Bailleul.

·        Delightful day.
·         New draft in.
·         More casualties.
·         Rrather quiet all day.
·         Wrote home.
·         Gramophone gone up to front line.
Biggest transport ever gone to front line.

·        Rain and bitterly cold.
·         Capt. Cooper made adjutant.
·         Went to Reninghelst.
·         Pictures in a barn. Charlie Chaplin most laughable.
·         Strolled about with Sgt. Taylor.
Turned in at 12 midnight.

·        Saw Jack.
·         Rain and not too warm.
·         22^nd Battalion in “B” Camp. 
·         Lots of men rolling about.
·         Attended concert by 22^nd boys.  Peculiar songs and dances..
Quiet all day.

·        Very fine morning.
·         Played quoits with RSM, Sgt. Ludlow and friends.  Won  2 out of  3.
·         Walked about a little.  Ankle standing fine. Hope to return to Coy. in a day or two.
·         Lots of ammunition going forward.
Received no mail but wrote letters and PC’s.

·        Morning dandy.
·         Aeroplanes about.  2 Germans brought down.
·         Artillery active during afternoon on right.
·         Went to Locre.  Proceeded to trenches at 8:15 PM.
·         Had a real dandy stay at Transport Depot.
Wrote home.

·        Lovely weather.
·         Coy in tunnels on bank of Ypres canal.
·         Lots of H.E. about.
·         Took over trenches from 19^th Battalion in 35, 36, 37, and 38.  Not bad trenches. (International trench).
·         Plenty of shells about.
Received letters from home.

·        Rain, very muddy.
·         Germans throwing over lots of jam pots, whiz bangs, sausages, tin cans, trench mortars, fish tales, and rifle grenades.
·         A few casualties.
·         Some more of the old 21^st men down.  Awful time.
More casualties.

·        Day fine, drying nicely.
·         Aeroplanes about galore.
·         Brought down enemy observation balloon.
·         Artillery awful. Piling the shells over on left of Ypres.
·         Fairly quiet during the night.
·         Received mail.
Not may left of original Battalion (122).

·        Rain all day. Very wet and cold.
·         Artillery going strong.  Casualties…little artillery duel afternoon and night.
·         More casualties.
·         Lads doing fine.
·         Aeroplanes about in great numbers all day.
·         Germans seem nervous.
·         Russians going dandy.
·         Stood too all night expecting something.
Nothing doing.

·        Rain but cleared a little.
·         Our artillery: stokes guns, rifle grenades, and trench motars gave the Germans a hot time during the afternoon.
·         A few German shells near my dugout.
·         A few casualties.
Bombing raid was to have come off but was called off.

·        Morning hazy. Artillery fairly active.
·         Germans started in afternoon but we gave them Hell.
·         Rain towards night.
·         Fierce artillery fire on right.
·         Received no news of home.
·         Coy Major hit, but not badly.
Another casualty…

·        Raw, damp morning.
·         Artillery fairly quiet.
·         Sent over rifle grenades and burnt one very light store.
·         Brought down two aeroplanes and three observation balloons.
Artillery very active causing a few casualties.

·        Good news of Russian advances still going strong.  I see the end in sight.
·         Kitchener’s revised length of war.  Autumn!
·         Relieved by 19^th Batt. At 12 midnight.
Reached Micmac Camp at 4AM in daylight.

July 1916

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