·        Paraded and Physical.
·         Drill at 8:30 AM.
·         C.O.’s Parade at 10AM and again at 2PM.
·         Very hot.
·         Rumours of going to Somme district.
·         Artillery quiet.
·         Few casualties lately.
No news from home.  No paper to write.

·        First parade at 8 AM and then at 10 AM and also at 2PM.
·         Artillery very active.
·         Good news over the wire.
·         Received news from brothers and I am glad.
Finally wrote home.

·        Lovely morning. C.O.’s parade at 10AM and 2PM.
·         Had a good day.
·         Aeroplanes about at night.
·         Pompoms on the go.
·         Received no news.
·         Handed in papers for Commission.
Saw C.O. and settled satisfactorily.

·        Paraded full pack at 6AM for route march.
·         Marched around Reninghelst and Anderdom returning at 10AM.
·         Rested remainder of the day.
·         Turned in at 10PM.
·         Received no news.
Rain for operations tomorrow.

·        Delightful day, charming weather..feeling food.
·         Rats nibbled hole in door of shack during last night.
·         Artillery fairly active and scenery very fine.
·         Played Camerons and lost 1 to Nil. Good game. They deserved to win.
Returned to camp at 11PM.

·        Church parade at 10AM.
·         Great praise from Chaplain (Swank).
·         Submitted application for 2^nd W.O.
·         Sent for pistol.
·         Lovely day-all sunshine.
Good news in paper but no news from home.

·        No holiday for us.
·         Route march for maneuvers during day.
·         Returned tired at 7PM.
·         Received no news.
Everything quiet.

Tuesday
August 8^th

·        Lovely day and nothing unusual occurred during day.
·         Relieved 26^th BN in Redoubts at 7PM.
·         Artillery very active on left.
·         Something doing…
Good reports in papers of Allies.

·        Stood too at 3:30AM.
·         Real dandy morning.
·         Strafed rather badly.  A few casualties.
·         Artillery duel during afternoon.
·         Shells very close.
·         Ours boys doing fine.  Feeling rather punk.
·         Wrote home and received news.
Machine gun fire sweeping well.

·        Stood to at 4AM.
·         Swell day.
·         Machine gun fire sweeping well but not quite good enough.
·         Artillery duels during day and night.
·         Put over a barrage. Dandy sight to watch. Right on the German trenches.
Received no news.

·        Real swell day. Boys working hard and fatigue parties out at night.
·         General Rennie about.
·         Shelling heavy: casualties in 19^th, 21^st, and 27^th Bns.
Received parcels and letters. Wrote in return.

·        Stood to at 4AM.  Lovely morning-sun very warm.
·         Shells came very close…a few casualties.
·         Dugouts blown and parapets, also trees fallen.
Received no news.

·        Beautiful day and very quiet.
·         Sang hymns and joked about Germans.
Nothing of interest and received no news.

·        Rain followed by sunshine.
·         Artillery very active.
·         Stunts pulled off by 19^th, 27^th, and 21^st.
·         Duel from 2PM to 4PM. We took points.
·         Received mail.
Ructions during night. Proper little scrap.

·        Real dandy day. Artillery going strong.
·         Good reports from papers.
·         Relieved by 20^th Bn. At 9PM.
·         Took over the La Brasserie Defences.
·         Fatigue party out.
Received news.

·        Machine guns playing all night around La Brasserie.
·         Artillery opened up during the night.
·         Received letters.  Fine day.
·         Casualties being brought in.
·         Fatigue parties out.
Major Sauva attached to Coy.

·        A real swell day. Sun very warn but rain in afternoon.
·         Casualties in 46^th and 47^th and 50^th Bns.
·         Cleaned up and inspected.  A very close inspection.
·         Expecting to move to St. Omar tomorrow.
No mail.

·        Rained all day.  Dismal weather.
·         Checked up stores and all O.K.
·         Received parcel from Aunt Mina along with 4 letters and 2 P.C’s.
Answered mail.  Some job.

·        Nothing unusual.  A little activity from M. Guns and artillery.
·         Good news over wire of Somme.
·         Saw Brigadier General St. Pierre Hughes. He looks fine.
Received news from home and Canada.

·        Machine gun fire on us from the opposite side.
·         Lots of dead being brought in from La Brasserie.
·         A little service by the old chaplain of the 39^th.
·         Received letter reg: from Ma.
·         Artillery duel towards night.
A few casualties.

·        47^th, 50^th, and 75^th know it all.
·         A few accidents.  Two buried.
·         Aeroplanes about.  One very low.
·         Artillery going fine.
Gas used by us on left.  Horses hit.  A few casualties.

·        Packed up and ready to move out.
·         Shelling heavily all day.
·         Relieved by the 50^th at 9PM.
·         Arrived at Quebec Camp at Reninghelst at 11PM.
·         Very dark and an awful walk.
Received no letters.

·        Real dandy day. Paraded with full packs and had Muster Parade at 7PM.
·         Changed rifles for Enfield rifles.  Everybody pleased.
·         No news of advance.
·         Leaving very early in morning.
No time for sleep.

·        Left Reninghelst at 5:30AM.  Marched to Steenvoorde.
·        Billeted in barn by farm house. Had a good time and a sing song.
Received no mail but wrote home.

·        Stayed at Steenvoorde all day and night.  Had a real rest.
·         Went to real dandy concert given by R. F. C.
·         Stayed at farm house until 11PM.
·         Champagne on the table.
·         Some nice girls.
Received no mail.

·        Left Steenvoorde at 6AM.
·         Marched through Cassel at 10:30AM.
·         Had dinner outside town.
·         Proceeded to and rested at another farm for the night.
·         Striking contrast between Belgium (Flanders) and this part of France. Civilization at last.
No mail.

·        Arrived at village. Eperlecque. Not at all a bad place. Lots of fun. A very pretty part of French Flanders.
·        People very nice and obliging.
·        Rested all day. Plenty of wine and we enjoyed ourselves.
No mail.

·        Paraded at 8AM and marched to village of Zouafques.
·         Stayed at dandy farm.
·         Marched to training grounds about 8 KMs.
·         Returned at 4PM wet through.
·         Saw boys in evening and had good sport and singing.
No mail.

·        Rain all day.  Stayed in village. Too wet to drill.
·         Sgt Gun went for a commission.
·         Nice girls about.
·         Pay and inspection parades.
Wrote home but received no news.

·        Rain. Awful weather and no parades.
·         Sgt Goad going away.
·         Had fun with Jack.
·         Everybody wet through.
·         Studied and had a good time.
Received no mail.

·        Real dandy day.
·         Maneuvers all day.
·         Company in attack and NCO’s took command.  Good work.
·         Returned from training around 5PM
·         Had a good time with girls and Sgts.
·         Received no mail.
Romania on our side. Declared against Austria.

September 1916

Return to biographies list

Return to Diary Main Page

Contact us

Home