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Date: February 1917
Diary

Thursday, February 1st, 1917

6am revellie 7am Breakfast 8.45 Short Prade to Thursley Commons with bomber or bommer McKinley went away with E. Co 1.30Pm don't know where 2Pm muster Prade. Band drew rifles & bayonets

Friday, February 2nd, 1917

revellie 6am breakfast 7am full kit inspection 8.45 10am another kit inspection 1.45Pm route march through Godlaming about 8½ miles tea 5.30Pm

Saturday, February 3rd, 1917

Revellie 6am Breakfast 7am Prade 9am to Divisional Prade Grounds for inspection by General Turner dinner about 1Pm afternoon holiday went to Godlaming

Sunday, February 4th, 1917

Revellie 6am Breakfast 7am Church Prade 9am in messroom. wrote letters to mother. Louie Annie & Aunt Annie also sent paper to Louie. went to S.A. at night

Monday, February 5th, 1917

Revellie 6am breakfast 7am ground covered with snow 6 ins. muster prade at 9am lasted until noon. dinner 12.30 sent letter to May Mason thanks for parcel. sent card to Hattie. letter to Mabel Muster Prade 2Pm Tea 5Pm

Tuesday, February 6th, 1917

revellie 6am Breakfast 7am Short Prade 8.45. Band Practice 9.30. Physical drill 11am. Short Prade 1.45Pm sent parcel to Louie. Band Practice Supper 5Pm

Wednesday, February 7th, 1917

Revellie 6am Breakfast 7am Prade 8.30. inspection by Col Sharpe 10am 1.30 Prade to Divisional Prade grounds inspection by Gen Howard got back about 4Pm Tea 5Pm

Thursday, February 8th, 1917

Revellie 6am Breakfast 7am 8.50 Prade to Hankley Commons 10 miles Heavy Marching order had dinner got back about 4Pm inspection of feet Supper 5Pm

Friday, February 9th, 1917

Boosey & Co sent saxaphone to Canada Revellie 6am Breakfast 7am Prade at 8.45 inspected by Major Cameron. 9.30am cleaned instruments and equipment. got letter from Mother & answered it. 2Pm short route march wrote to McKinley Supper 5Pm

Saturday, February 10th, 1917

revellie 6am Breakfast 7am muster prade 9am packed up — afternoon kit inspection drew 120 rounds ammunition left camp for station 11.15Pm 1am started for France

Sunday, February 11th, 1917

got to Folkestone at 5.30 had breakfast & left at 9.30am for France escort three torpedo boats got to Boulonge at about 2.30 two hospital ships pulled out got to camp St Martin at 3.30Pm issued with two blankets slept in tents very cold

Monday, February 12th, 1917

Revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30am inspection Rifles ammunition & gas Helmets. thousands sea gulls. cut ice in creek to wash in. soon got warmed up. short prade & medical inspection afternoon route march through Boulonge sights

Tuesday, February 13th, 1917

Revellie 4am first train up the country 8.15am we started 10.45 rode until 9.30Pm slept in huts very cold had supper on train entered the Somme district St. Pol hear guns at front

Wednesday, February 14th, 1917

revellie 6.30 Breakfast 7am saw two big guns 15 ft long on way to station entrained at 8am rode 1 hour & billeted at houses with us 10 in each room 2 rooms 15 miles from firing line

Thursday, February 15th, 1917

saw bunch german prisoners quite a few working revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Started for Bapaume 9am got to rest camp 12.30 Brass & Bugle bands billeted in old barn lots of air. hear the guns very plain lots of areoplanes

Friday, February 16th, 1917

revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade & inspection at 9am lots of areoplanes passing over. very old & dirty places around here. 4Pm prade heavy marching order

Saturday, February 17th, 1917

Harlicourt revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade 9am inspection 11.30am by Gen Leping [?]. fine morning but (lots of mud) lots of R.C.R. & P.P.L.I. here at this camp. afternoon holiday night went & had some wine and coffee at restaurant

Sunday, February 18th, 1917

revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 10am Played around the town. dinner 12.30Pm sent one card to mother & one to Louie (field service cards) 2.30 issued with tobacco cigarettes & candles matches Played around the town

Monday, February 19th, 1917

revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 got letters from Mother Louie & Hattie dated Jan 19th Hatties Louies & Mothers Jan 21/17. Prade to grounds & physical drill for one hour. got papers from Aunt Annie & Elsie got another letter from Louie & 1 Ethel & Annie. Short prade 2Pm

Tuesday, February 20th, 1917

got parcel from Mother yesterday revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade 8.30 lecture 9 x 10am. Prade 1.30Pm until 3Pm band Practice raining all day & mud. letter from Aunt Annie

Wednesday, February 21st, 1917

got letter from Masons yesterday revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade & drill 9am until 11am lots of mud but fair day. prade 1.30Pm till 3Pm wrote letters to Mother Louie & took Lyres off my overcoat & tunic

Thursday, February 22nd, 1917

revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade 8.30. first bayonet practice & gas helmet drill. dinner 12.30 Pm raining & lots of mud 1.30Pm prade Bayonet fighting & drill supper 5Pm Band Practice 6.30Pm

Friday, February 23rd, 1917

F. Davis sent to hospital revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 9am Prade to the mud field until 12.30Pm dinner 1Pm prade to the mud field Bayonet fighting until 4.30Pm supper 5Pm fair day got our bayonets sharpened

Saturday, February 24th, 1917

revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade 8.30am physical drill & bayonet fighting 1Pm dinner 1.45Pm Prade lots of mud. extented order lots of areoplanes fair day heavy artillery bombardment

Sunday, February 25th, 1917

Haillicourt camp revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Church service at 9am drill until 10.30am sun shining fine. holiday rest of day. Dinner 12.30Pm wrote letters to Aunt Annie Elsie. Hattie. Ethel & Minnie. Annie & Willie

Monday, February 26th, 1917

revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade 8.30am Practice firing live ammunition from hip. fixed bayonets 1.30Pm drill until 3Pm new gas helmet issued & tried in real gas got Papers from Aunt Annie dated Jan 17th - 18th

Tuesday, February 27th, 1917

lots of areoplanes passing over revellie 7am Breakfast 7.30 Prade heavy marching order 8 mile route march and a fine shower bath. saw two coal mines & 1 red brick yard. got back about 3Pm got paid 15frs. saw 6 sheafs of straw with piece of green in shape of cross for a death on sidewalk

Wednesday, February 28th, 1917

Leiurs revellie 6am Breakfast 6.300am marched to Leiurs about 11 miles heavy marching order from 9am until 3.30 got letters yesterday passed mines etc