Search The Archive

Search form

Collection Search
Date: June 1918
Diary

June 1

Inspected by Brigadier General of 1st Brigade today and he was well pleased with us, watched the show again in the evening, twas better tonight, an R.C. Bishop from London was over tonight, he was in civies and gave a good speech after the show was over, Germans still advancing toward Rheims and Paris

June 2

Parades as usual, church parade and Gen. McDonald spoke to us, play ball with C Battery, was at a church service after supper, move off tomorrow

June 3

Marched about 18 kilos today, arrived at Averdoingt, a little quiet town at 1:00 p.m., slept during afternoon

June 4

PT and gun drill in morning, sports in afternoon, billeted in a barn which is very lousy, Germans bombing towns in vicinity

June 5

Usual routine today, paid in afternoon, trying to get in R.A.F., wrote home

June 6

Barrage drill in morning, received three letters today, played cards in afternoon, weather fine

June 7

Routine work today, received a letter from Emily saying she was engaged to Harold Anderson of Cleveland, scarcity of water in this town so we have to do without a bath

June 8

Bob's birthday, 19 years, practiced going over the top today, back to billets at 4:30 p.m., weather still fine

June 9

Alice's birthday, innoculated this morning, wrote a couple of letters, shoulder very sore from innoculation

June 10

Didn't do anything today because of shot yesterday, Battery team played Salvage Corp. team and beat them, going to ranges tomorrow

June 11

Marched seven kilos to the rifle ranges for target practice with rifles, Battery team lost game with 1st Battery team tonight, received three letters, Don Jardine came back from base today, another German offensive started today on the French for a drive to Paris

June 12

We put up a marquee tent this morning for a concert which is to be held in a few days, wrote an application form for a commission in the R.A.F.,hope it succeeds

June 13

1st Brigade sports today at Tinques about 5 kilos away, met John Sparham there today, we had quite a long talk, had stewed rabbit for dinner down there

June 14

Had a bath at Tinques in morning which took up the morning, sports in afternoon, 13 Battalion concert party played for us tonight, twas pretty good, some of the boys got tight on the free booze they gave away

June 15

Breakfast at 5:00 a.m., marched off at 6:30 for practice of open warfare, back again at 6:00 p.m., got a registered letter from Dominion Bank for 55 francs, twas a life saver, cinema in a big barn

June 16

Church parade this morning in a big barn, service by Cannon Scott and took communion after, lecture in afternoon by Cannon Scott, every likes him

June 17

Firing on ranges in morning, down to divisional sports at Tinques in afternoon, rained a little in evening, move early tomorrow morning back to Etrun, a distance of 18 kilos

June 18

Marched to Etrun today, received Canadian mail and wrote home, fine weather

June 19

Raining hard in morning, wrote several letters in afternoon, German planes dropped about ten bombs near us tonight but no casualties

June 20

Put on NCO class today, Capt. Chambers went on leave today, paid this afternoon

June 21

They changed the glasses in our respirators today, map reading in morning, played cards in afternoon, got papers for commission in R.A.F. today

June 22

Muster parade of Coy. in morning, played a game of cards in afternoon, received a letter from Mother, progressing alright with R.A.F. job

June 23

Paraded sick but was told to come tomorrow so that I could go down to Fresnicourt and have my eyes tested for the R.A.F., Italians winning big battle

June 24

Paraded sick again and got driven down to Fresnicourt in an ambulance, passed test and was driven back again, had fine dinner in the hospital there, am medical examined tomorrow

June 25

Paraded sick and was examined, my category is A1, gave my transfer papers to Mr. Freeman who said he would see that the Colonel received them

June 26

On parade today, bath in morning, map reading, etc. on NCO's course

June 27

More study on map reading, etc., to movie in evening at Scottish Church's tent, received a letter from M.B. and all is OK, very bad cold, I have a slight attack of influenza

June 28

Examination in morning on our studies, haven't heard anything from the Colonel about my transfer to the R.A.F., received a letter from Dick Turner, he said he was going back to Canada soon, got my penknife back from Willoughby who kept it from me for 3 months and won't give it up without a slight argument

June 29

Sick today with influenza but went on parade, was firing MG's on ranges in morning, had a sleep in afternoon and felt better towards evening

June 30

Coy. sports today, cut cards to see who would go to Corps sports tomorrow and I won, am not yet over the influenza and am still a little weak, have a bad cold