here on working party Sept 6th on 9th left the Chateau on a working party and arrived on the la coulette front and have passed over the same ground where I was hit on the 9th of June we are billeted around that quarter, was called to the entrensking Batts on 13th sept and still at the Chateau on sept 26th left Oct 4th to rejoin Batt'n went to Esetre bouchy stopped over night joined the Brass Band and played on the march to Houdain
[missing pages]
to Belgiun was done in motor lorries. we are not far from the firing line about 6 miles. Oct 24th spent the day at Band practice. at night Fritzie came over and Bombed the camp. ensuing day spent in drill and Band Practice and concerts at night.
also the german air planes keepin' throwing bomb on the camp after 11 o'clock at night and keep it up until early morning.
Nov 1st there were about 50 bombs dropped within a radius of 4 miles [?]
2 and 3rd he did not come over as the nights were to dark we left Brandhoek at 4 oclock sat nov 3rd and took the train to france passed through [?] got off the train at castre France and walked 5 miles we arrived at above town at 6 pm. it was no joke having to walk 5 miles with full pack and instruments we arrived in vicinity of sylvestre cappelle and are billeted in a barn amongst the straw. however for the present we are away from
that miserable country Belgium and the Bombs.
Sunday Nov 4th spent the day cleaning clothes and equipment went to Hondighen a near by town for an hour
Nov 5th nothing to do but clean up and play for inspection.
Nov 6th move off again to another barn a mile away wnet to Slyvestre Cappelle at night.
Nov 8th got orders to move off again at breakfast time, all packed up like mules and ready to go, marched 6 miles over potatoe fields on road to Castre a pretty fair sized town it was a great relief to get there as we were all in. took the train at Castre and arrived as Brandhoek again at 4.30 pm, Back again to this rotten country and its Eternal mud rain we are sleeping in tents
Nov 10th still raining went to the church army hut for band Practice.
Nov 11th still raining had to move again to another camp. german airplanes dropping bombs over our camp. could hear them screaming before they hit the ground. they were very close luckily they missed out hut
Nov 12th drill and Band practice
Nov 13th Band practice and drill very heavy Bombardment up the line out Battn are in the trenches on pachendale ridge.
Nov 14th germans throwing shells over our camp with long range guns
Nov 15th the same proceeding being carried out at night. gas shells over head schrapnell and high explosives.
Nov 16th still shelling at night
Nov 17th some as usual
Nov 19th Monday left Brandhoek at 7.30 and walked to Poperinghe tow hours, walk with full pack and instruments marched back to the town and played the Battn up to our camp a mile past Paperinghe. left Paperinghe at 9.30
21st Nov three hour ride in motor Busses arrived in Neuf Berguin in France

[Editor’s note, Nov. 2023: Error corrected in diary’s entry date (“1616” to “1916”).]