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Date: 1918
Diary

Tuesday January 1st 1918

In billets at Chau. De la Haie.
Went to house of French family at Estrée Cauchée for dinner & supper.

January 2nd

Made breakfast.
Drill parade in afternoon for half hour.
Went to picture show in evening with Tubby & Sam.

January 3rd

Paid in morning.
Short lecture by Mr. Chipman in afternoon.
Went to picture show with Brewer & Sam in evening.

January 4th

Signal Parade in morning 9:30 - 11:30.
Went to picture show in evening.
Bought fountain pen 10fr.

January 5th

Signal parade in morning 10:00 - 11:30.
Received ciggs. from Don.

January 6th

Did nothing in particular. .

January 7th

Moved from Chau. De la Haie to Bruay.
Was guide to Bde. party.
Arrived Bruay at 1:30 p.m.

January 8th

Nothing of any importance.
White returned from leave.

January 9th

Reported sick at 22 CCS in morning & evening. Laryngitis.
L/Cpl. Weller returned from leave.

January 10th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.
Went to 1st Can div concert in evening.
L. & C. Meacher & Simpson returned from leave.

January 11th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.
Went to 1st Can Div concert party in evening.
Cpl. Ferguson left for England for commission.

January 12th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.
Went to French picture show in evening with Les, Don & Sam.

January 13th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.

January 14th

Went to 22 CCS in afternoon & 1st Div Concert Party in evening.

January 15th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & afternoon.

January 16th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.

January 17th

Reported to CCS in morning & evening.
Received delayed parcel addressed to Training depot from home.

January 18th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.
Took tunic to 16th Batt. tailors to get fixed up.

January 19th

Reported to 22 CCS in morning & evening.
Got tunic from tailors & went to mines [?] for a bath.

January 20th

Packed spare kit etc.
Went to Houdain for leave checque & back to Bruay.
Walked to Calonne-Ricouart & took train for Boulogne.
Arrived there in evening & went to rest billet for the night.

January 21st

Moved to another rest billet in Boulogne & then to boat about 3 p.m.
Arrived at Folkestone at about 5:30 p.m. & London at about 8:45 p.m.
Went to Pay Office at Millbank & then to Union Jack Club where I stayed the night.

January 22nd

Had breakfast at Union Jack Club & took 10:00 a.m. train at Liverpool St. station.
Arrived home about 11:30 a.m.

January 29th

Went to Chatham with George.

January 30th

Came home from Chatham.

January 31st

Went to Hilliard in Chelmsford &
Comerford & Co., 1 Totenhouse Bldgs., Threadneedle St., London.

Friday February 1st

Started an account at Barclay's Bank & also an account at Post Office.

February 2nd

Made Will at Hilliard, Chelmsford.
Took War Bonds £20.

February 3rd

Went to London by 6:29 p.m. at Chelmsford.
Stayed at Union Jack Club for the night.

February 4th

Went to Victoria at 6:00 a.m. & took train to Folkestone where we stayed in rest billet until 10:00 a.m..
Arrived at Boulogne about 1:00 p.m. & went up to St. Martin's Plain Camp for night.
At concert in evening at YMCA.

February 5th

Left Boulogne about 5:00 a.m. & arrived at Culonne Ricouart at 10:00 a.m.
Had dinner in Bruay & arrived at Advanced Bde H.Q. on Loos front about 7:00 p.m.

February 6th

Reported to Staff Capt. in morning & went up the line with him in afternoon.
Took report to H.Q. in evening.

February 7th

Went to left forward O.P. with L/Cpl. Weller in morning.
Fixed direction board in Rear O.P. in afternoon.

February 8th

Went to Right forward O.P. in morning & around trenches.

February 9th

Went around trenches with Capt. Chipman in morning 5:00 a.m.

February 10th

Went to Left Bde O.P., Left Battn. O.P. & old Left Bde. O.P. to find suitable position for Artillery Observers.

February 11th

Made Rear O.P. Log Book up to date.

February 12th

Went around trenches in morning.
On duty at night on rear O.P.

February 13th

On rear O.P. on duty at 12:15 a.m. to 4:15 a.m. observing raid on enemy lines Hill 70 at 3:00 a.m.

February 14th

Went up to O.P.'s with 1st Bde. Scouts.

February 16th

Went to O.P.'s & handed over to 1st Bde. Scouts.
Went to Les Brebis.

February 17th

Changed billets.
Went to N.C.O.'s Mess.

February 19th

Paid in afternoon.
Went to Bracquemont in morning.

February 21st

4 men up the line to look over.

February 23rd

Walked up to Cité St. Pierre in afternoon with Speakman.

February 24th

Went to Cité St. Pierre with advance party 6 men.
O.P. in Fossell de Lens.

February 25th

Went around trenches with 2nd Bde. Scout Sgt.

February 26th

Went around trenches.

February 27th

Went around trenches.

February 28th

Went to Support Bn. H.Q.

March 3rd

Went to various H.Q.'s with Capt. Chipman & Lieut. Hardy

March 4th

Went to Strand O.P. Lievin & connected up wire with Test Box in afternoon with two Linesmen.

March 6th

Went to O.P.'s in Catapult Tr. & Nestor Alley & then to Battn. H.Q. in Natal Tr. with Capt. Chipman & 4 Div Offs.
Went to Lievin in morning.

March 7th

Went to Left & Right Battn. H.Q.'s with Lieut. Hardy.

March 8th

Went to Strand O.P. in morning, back in time for breakfast.
Enemy put gas shells into St.Pierre & caught some Americans.

March 11th

Went to Left & Right Battn. H.Q.'s with Capt. Chipman in afternoon.

March 12th

Went to Lievin with 12th Bde. Cpl. & three men.

March 13th

Went out in evening to Aix Noulette by train & walked from there to Coupigny Chateau.

March 14th

Changed billets for section & found cookhouse.

March 15th

Paid in afternoon.
Went to Hersin in evening.
German planes came over & dropped bombs at night.
No casualties & no damage.

March 17th

Church parade to Hersin YMCA hut.
Hut was full so we returned to billet.

March 18th

Bde. manoeuvres in conjunction with tanks & aeroplanes at Noulette.

March 20th

Took section to Les Brebis to Bde. Support billets.

March 22nd

Played football for N.C.O.'s against Intelligence.
Intelligence won 3 - 1.

March 28th

Left Chau de la Haie at 3:15 a.m. in buses.
Arrived at Merieux at about 9:30 a.m.
Walked to Humbercourt (15 k), arrived there 3:15 p.m.
Left Humbercourt at 6:30 p.m. in buses for Agnez-Les-Duisans.

March 29th

Arrived at Agnez-Les-Duisans at 3:15 a.m.
Walked there from Wanquetin (7 k) where we got off bus 1:10 a.m.
Moved off to Arras (8 k) at 7:30 a.m.
4 men up to Telegraph Hill to reconnoitre & went up line with remainder to look over.

March 30th

6 men up line reconnoitring routes & bridges.
Went up with Major Conroy to 10-11-12th Bde. H.Q. Imps.[?]
Got wet through.

March 31st

Started reconnaisance on tunnels & caves.

Monday April 1st

Reconnaisance of tunnels & caves in & about Arras.
Went up to Telegraph Hill with Capt. Chipman.

April 2nd

Rec. of tunnels & caves finished.
Went up line with Lieut. Follows & Capt. Chipman to locate emergency O.P.'s.

April 3rd

Went up line with whole section to emergency O.P.'s in morning.
Went to 4 batt. H.Q. with Capt. Chipman in afternoon.

April 4th

Went up to Telegraph Hill O.P. with L. Meacher to look over.

April 5th

Went up to Rear O.P. with L/Cpl. Weller & Weller went up with 2 men in evening to man O.P.

April 6th

Went up to Suppt. Bn. H.Q. with Imperial Colonel.
Two linesmen went to O.P. from 13th to stay there.

April 7th

Left Arras in evening for Dainville.
Left 2 men on O.P. & 1 man at H.Q.
Relieved by 6th Div. [looks like originally 56 with 5 crossed out]
Went around line with Imperial BM.

April 8th

Moved to H.Q. in railway Y [or V] near Blangy in evening.
Went in buses to Blangy & I guided H.Q. on from there to dugout.
Took over O.P.
4 men went up early with Major Conroy.

April 10th

H.Q. moved to Arras.
I stayed with 7 men.
Went to Blangy with flares with Speakman.

April 11th

13 Enemy triplanes came over & attacked 1 R.E.8 which escaped.

April 12th

Went forward with Major Conroy & located another O.P.
Went up to O.P. with Cpl. Weller & 6 men.
Returned to billet with Brewer.
Caught in MG fire at Athies.

April 13th

Handed over to 2nd C.I.B. & went out at night to Victory Camp at Écurie.

April 16th

Meacher Bros., Owens, Knowles went up to look up transport routes for Capt. Barry.
Bath parade in afternoon.

April 17th

Went around Ridge & Railway Posts with Owens.
Remainder of section on Ridge Line & St. Catherine's Switch.

April 18th

Went to Souchy with lorries with Speakman & White.
Remainder of section on Ridge Line & St. Catherine's Switch.
Saw 1 of our R.E.8's brought down.

April 19th

Cleaned periscopes & telescope & checked up compasses.

April 20th

Went up to O.P. with L/Cpl. Weller to look over.

April 21st

3 men went to O.P. in afternoon & 5 men & L/Cpl. Weller went up in evening.
Went to 13th & 15th Bns. to draw kilts etc.

April 22nd

Went to Batt. H.Q. with Simpson & to O.P.

April 24th

Went around trenches with Brewer.

April 25th

Went around trenches with Imrie also Weller O.P.

April 26th

Went to O.P. with Knowles.
Changed S.O.S.
Wrote to Fergy.

April 28th

14th & 16th Bns. raided enemy lines at Gauselle [?].
Captured 54 prisoners, 5 MG's, 1 L.T.M.

Friday May 3rd

Went up line with G.O.C., Capt. Chipman & an American Off.

May 4th

Went to O.P. in morning with Field of Vision map.

May 5th

Went to O.P. with rations in evening.

May 6th

Went up line with 45th Bde. Int. Off.
Men came down from O.P.
Bde. Moved to ARRAS.
L/Cpl. Weller stayed on O.P. with 2 men.

May 7th

Moved into ARRAS with Owen & Escott in morning.
Moved out with Bde. to Etrun in afternoon.
L/Cpl. Weller, Pte.'s Fraser & Speakman.

May 8th

Left Arras for Y [or V] Camp ‘Etrun'.

May 9th

Paid.

May 10th

Muster Parade.
All villages put "Out of Bounds".

May 15th

Bde. sports.

May 17th

Parade.
Signalling & Map Locations.

May 18th

Parade.
Panoramics.

May 19th

Left Etrun for IZEL-Les-Hameau.

May 20th

Practised for Barrage at manoeuvres. 4 mins. to 100 yds.

May 21st

Went to LIENCOURT for manoeuvres.
Acted as Barrage for Bde. in attack.
Stayed night in Bois de Faye.

May 22nd

Manouvres.
Went back to IZEL afternoon.

May 23rd

Parade.
Traversing & plan sketching.

May 24th

Parade.
Traversing & Plan sketching.

May 25th

Left IZEL-les-Hameau for La Thieuloye.

May 26th

Church Parade with 15th Bn.
March Past.
Gen. McDonell.
Bde. H.Q. played 15th Bn. Baseball.
Lost 8 - 2.

May 27th

Parade in morning.
Traversing & Plan sketching.
Bde. H.Q. played 15th Bn. Football.
Lost 2 - 1.
Wrote Fergy.

May 28th

Parade in morning.
Traversing & Plan Sketching.

May 29th

Parades.

May 30th

Parades.

May 31st
Parades.

Saturday June 1st

Bath parade.

June 2nd

Church parade.

June 3rd

Parade.

June 4th

Parade.

June 5th

Put up Marquees for Officers Garden Party.
Used good flour to mark out tennis court.
John Russon has swollen jaw (toothache).
Baseball in afternoon.

June 6th

Parade in morning.
Indoor ball in afternoon.
Dog found tied up in sack with large rock on it. Starved.

June 7th

Parade in morning.

June 8th

Parade in morning to Rocourt for bath.

June 9th

Nothing in particular.
15th Batt. played 1st Fld. Amb. baseball.
15th - 6 Amb. - 5

June 10th

Parade in morning.

June 11th

Bde. played 13th Batt. baseball.
Bde. - 10 13th - 5
16th played 15th football.
16th - 2 15th - 2
16th played 15th baseball.
16th - 3 15th - 6

June 12th

Parade in morning.

June 13th

Bde. played 15th baseball.
Bde. - 2 15th - 23
1 hr parade.

June 14th

Parade in morning.

June 15th

Parade in morning.
Bath parade in afternoon.
Paid in evening.
Made arrangements in evening with O.C. No. 2 Coy. 15th Bn. for tea on march for next day.

June 16th

Marched from La Thieuloye to St. Aubin (17 miles).
Had considerable trouble finding billets for N.C.O.'s.

June 17th

Parade in morning (Signalling).
Divisional Sports at Tincques.
Wrote to Fergie.

June 18th

Parade in morning.
Morse signalling.

June 19th

Parade in morning.
Morse signalling.
Semaphore signalling in afternoon.

June 20th

Parade in morning.
Semaphore.
Morse in afternoon.

June 21st

26th Birthday.

Parade in morning.
Semaphore signalling.
Morse signalling in afternoon.

June 22nd

Parade in morning.
Semaphore signalling.
Parcel from home.

June 23rd

Church parade but I did not attend.

June 24th

Parade in morning.
Musketry & Signalling.
Sig. in afternoon. (Morse).

June 25th

Parades.
Musketry in morning & Semaphore.
Morse in afternoon.

June 26th

Parades.
Musketry in morning & Semaphore.
Morse in afternoon.

June 27th

Parades.
Musketry & semaphore in morning.
Morse in afternoon.

June 28th

Musketry in morning & semaphore.
Morse in afternoon.

June 29th

Musketry & Semaphore in morning.

June 30th

Move to Chelers.

July 1st

Corps. Sports at Tincques.
Went down for 1 hr.
Too big a crowd.

July 2nd

Bde. inspected by Sir R. Borden at Bethonsart.
Went up in morning with B.M., Capt. Chipman & 2 men to lay out field.
Did not go on inspection.

July 3rd

Pay Day.

July 4th

Went to meeting of officers at Tincques to decide about decorations for the 6th.
Started on decorations in afternoon.
Meacher C. went to Caucourt for clothing.

July 5th

Decorating all day with section.
White went to Frevillers to see paymaster.
Received "gat" from Fergie.

July 6th

Highland Gathering. Was down in morning with section to finish off decorations.

July 7th

Nothing doing.
Pte. Brewer went to Frevillers to see paymaster & to Monchy Breton to find out about moving Simpson.
White went to Bethonsart for clothing.
Sold my other "gat" to Brewer.

July 8th

Pte. Simpson went to Hospital with arch of foot breaking down.

July 9th

Went to near Caucourt to arrange Batt. Intelligence Competition.
Took all section.

July 10th

Batt. Sniping Competition 16th,15th, 13th, 14th.
Went to Caucourt with 3 men to correct locations of various objects.
Knowles had pass to Fresnicourt [?].

July 11th

Payday.
Went to 14th Bn. manoeuvres to represent M.G.'s.

July 12th

Went to near Caucourt to put on show for Batt. Intelligence Competition.

July 13th

Relieved by 153 Bde. 51st Div.
Moved to Louez.

July 14th

Church parade.

July 15th

Sig. parade & lecture on reporting.

July 16th

Bde. Review by Maj. Gen. Mewburn [or Meluburn] & Ballantyne. Went down to Div. H.Q. with Dimps at Etrun & took papers for application for a commission in the Flying Corps.

July 17th

Went to No. 2 Fld. Amb. for inspection (medical) for Flying Corps. passed O.K.

July 18th

Moved into ARRAS & took over from 4th C.I.B.
Went to look over O.P.'s.
Man went to Le Hameau with letter from Capt. Chipman.

July 19th

Took section up line & placed them.
Brought down report at night.

July 20th

Went up line with Capt. Conroy, 2 Canadian journalists & an officer from Div.
Brought down report from O.P. at night.

July 21st

Went up with Capt. Conroy & Art. Off. to KING O.P.
Brought down report at night.

July 22nd

Gas alarm at night. Gas sent over on R. Bde. Front, 9th C.I.B.

July 23rd

Patrol of 16th Bn. ran into & killed 1, wounded 1 & took 1 prisoner of German patrol.

July 24th

Went up line with Sig. Off. & Capt. Chipman 16th H.Q., 14th H.Q. KING O.P.
Supposed French prisoner escaped to 14th Bn. lines was taken prisoner on June 10th at Noyon.

July 25th

Went to KIDY O.P.
Supt. & R. Batt. H.Q. & around trenches with Capt. Chipman, B.M. & Arty. Off.

July 26th

Went to Col. O.P. with Capt. Chipman in morning & up to KIDY O.P. for report at night.
2nd Bde. made raid on left.
7 prisoners, 1 MG.

July 27th

Payday.
Raining all day.
Did not go up line.

July 28th

Raid on enemy by 16th Bn.
1 M.G. & 1 dead German.
Went up to KIDY in afternoon.

July 29th

Went to 13th, 15th & 16th Bns. with Capt. Chipman & 1 American Off.
Also KING.
13th Colonel was out so left commission papers there to be signed.

July 30th

Went up to KIDY O.P. in afternoon by myself.

July 31st

Went up to KING & KIDY O.P.'s with Sgt. Fullarton & Cpl. Leavitt [?].

August 1st

Went around O.P.'s with Sgt. Roberts of 56 Div. Observers who relieved us & went out to Dainville at night.
Arr. D. at 10:30 p.m.

August 2nd

Left Dainville at 9:00 a.m. in train (light railway) for Fosseux.
Went 4 Kilos. too far & had to walk back.
Wet through with rain.

August 3rd

Left Fosseux.
Breakfast at 3:00 a.m. & moved off at 1:00 p.m. on buses to Frevent & train from there at 5:30 p.m.

August 4th

Arrived Vieux Rouen at 5:00 a.m.
Went to Belloy St. Leonards (walking) 18 Kilos.
Arrived there at 2:00 p.m.

August 5th

Stayed at Belloy St. Leonards one night & moved on to Boves.
Walking to Hornoy & then bus to near Fuchieux then walking to Boves.
Arr. there next day.

August 6th

Arr. at Boves & stayed there all night.
Town crowded with traffic all day & night.
Inf. Art. Tanks Amm. Cols. Engs. Etc.
[Infantry, Artillery, Tanks, Ammunition, Cols. [?], Engineers etc]
Left Boves at 11:30 p.m.
Wagon & 2 men.

August 7th

4 left at 2:00 a.m. with myself & went to position near Gentilles.
6 men left for 15 Bn. at 5:00 p.m. to lay tapes for tanks.
I went to H.Q. near line with Officers.
Went down for rations with men from rear.
No rations.

August 8th

Cdn. Corps. attacked.
3rd C.I.B. in line.
Went into No mans land with Capts. Chipman & O'Leary before Zero & watched tanks and battns. go over.
Went up line later with Capt. Chipman & 6 men to locate Bde. H.Q.
Finally settled on Ring Copse & Bde. came up later.

August 9th

Left Ring Copse in morning & took section to R.C. & on to Beaucourt Wood in evening.
Bombing planes (hostile) active.
Moved on to hospital in evening.

August 10th

Moved to Warvillers in afternoon.
4th CID went over in morning on our front.

August 11th

Slept in trench at night because of bombing planes.
Started O.P. duty on tower 90 ft. high.

August 12th

Went up line to 42nd Bn. to reconnoitre route etc with Brewer.
Found position of line.
6 other men out.

August 13th

Went to P.P.C.L.I. H.Q. with Capt. Chipman & Brewer.
3 other men out.

August 14th

Started using Shear telescope on O.P.
Went around 7th Bde. front with Weller & Brewer to look over.

August 15th

Went up to 7th Bde. H.Q. at 6:00 p.m. & took over O.P. from them in evening.
Handed over Tower O.P. to 2nd Bde. at 6:00 p.m.

August 16th

Carried on O.P.
Went up line with Haggan.
Met Frenchy when we were coming back.

August 17th

Started O.P. L2263545 in morning.
Went up with men in morning.
Moved up to adv. R.C. [?]
H.Q. moved up later.

August 18th

Went up to O.P. in afternoon with Weller.
O.P. shelled at night.

August 19th

3 planes down in morning 1 Hun 2 French
Went up to O.P. with Capt. Chipman.
SOS at night.

August 20th

Went up to O.P. with Cpl. Russon [or Rasson].
French soldiers up looking over.
Our Aeroplane hit by large airburst, probably intended for ranging.

August 21st

Last day on front.
Relieved at night by 112th Bde. French.
Stayed at dugout till morning.
Brewer lost revolver & field glasses.

August 22nd

Went to Warvillers.
Left Warvillers in evening for Hangard Wood.
Went before G.O.C. about commission.

August 23rd

Arr. Hangard Wood 2:00 a.m.
Stayed there till afternoon & went in advance to Boves with wagon.
Paid in afternoon at Hangard Wood.

August 24th

Stayed in Boves.
Met Lt. Hornby.

August 25th

Left Boves in morning.
Walked to Saleux & took train to Aubigny.
Walked to Berles.
Left Boves 6:30 a.m.
Arr. Berles 8:00 p.m.

August 26th

Stayed Berles all day.
Left in evening for Arras by bus.
Gave letter with insurance papers to Laceby to register.

August 27th

Stayed in Arras expecting to move.

August 28th

Left Arras in morning for place near Wancourt & then on to 025c near Chérisy.
Relieved 5th & 6th C.I.B.'s.

August 29th

Manned O.P. at 0316 3.3

August 30th

1st Bde. went over 3rd Bde. & took Hill 75.
Continued manning O.P. at 0316 3.3

August 31st

Manned O.P. 0316 3.3
Enemy counter attacked & took back some ground including Hendecourt & Bullecourt.

Sunday September 1st

Bde. H.Q. moved up to Sun Quarry.
Batts. Moved up to jumping off position.
Went up to adv. R.C. in afternoon with Capt. Lesuer & Sigs.
Shelled with gas in evening.
All of us had headache next day.

September 2nd

Advanced started.
We moved up to Cagnicourt.
Batts. went up to Buissy Switch.
Held up by machine-gun fire.

September 3rd

Moved back to Bde. H.Q. in Drocourt-Queant line.
Slept with other N.C.O.'s in sap [?].

September 4th

Moved to Dainville.
Walked to Chérisy.
Took bus from there to Dainville.

September 5th

Stayed in Dainville.
Went to Div. H.Q. to see Gen. McDonell about commission.
Met Lt. Pick- formerly on Bde. Sigs. now in R.F.A.
He supplied 2 bottles whiskey.

September 7th

Paid.

Tuesday September 10th

Lamp with Sigs.
Took visual men in map reading etc.

September 11th

Lamp practice in morning.

September 12th

Gen. Currie distributed decorations to Batts.

September 13th

Signalling.

September 14th

Inspection by S.C.I. & signalling.
Bath parade in afternoon.

September 15th

Church parade.
Read out on parade about traitor of 18 Bn.
Paid.

September 16th

Parade.

September 17th

Parade.

September 18th

Parade.

September 19th

Went to Aubigny to see R.A.F. officer.
Passed O.K.
Moved from Dainville to Ronville.

September 20th

Went up line with B.M., Sig. Off. & Sgt. Fullarton.

September 21st

Went up line with Cptn. Lescuer [?] & Sig. Off. & 3 Sigs.

September 22nd

Stayed around Ronville.

September 23rd

Took 2 buses up line & left 2 men with 4th C.I.B. observers to obtain information.
Brought buses back to Ronville.
Owens returned from Paris leave.

The following entries are extremely badly written in pencil unlike the previous entries which are generally very well written in ink. Probably written left-handed after the incident of the 27th!

Tuesday September 24th

Went up line with Captain Leseur [?] & B.M.
I went to Cagnicourt to pick up 2 Eng. Offs. & took them up to 21 Bn. Hd.Qrs.
Bde moved up to Riencourt.

September 25th

Moved up to Cagnicourt in evening.
Sent two men up to man O.P. on rly. [?]

September 26th

Moved up to Forward H.Q.
Went up early for wire report.

September 27th

Hit in finger by MG bullet.
Sent to Queant to be inoculated.
Returned to Bde. again.
Bde. went over Canal du Nord.

September 30th

Bde. moved up in evening & I and Knowles went ahead to locate O.P.

Tuesday October 1st

Bde. went over at Sancourt.
Went forward with Capt. Lesueur [?] & was hit in right shoulder by a piece of shell.
Eventually arrived at Queant.

October 2nd

Arrived 1 CCS near Arras where had shoulder dressed.
Shrap came out with dressing.
Boarded train for Etaples.
Arr there in evening.
Had a bath & feed.

October 3rd

Operated on in afternoon.
Woke up in time for tea.

October 4th

Doctor marked me for Blighty.
Left hospital at 10:00 p.m. & boarded train for Calais.

Saturday October 5th

Arr Calais & took boat for Dover.
Then train to Edmonton.
Was sent on by car to Northwood V.A. Hospital.

October 7th

Ethel [his sister Ethel Rose Cook] came to see me.

October 10th

ATS in arm.

October 13th
J.M.'s birthday.

October 17th

Dad came to see me.

October 23rd

Ethel came down.

October 24th

Got up in afternoon for first time.

October 26th
Aunt Harriet & Daisy came down.

Friday November 15th

Got up in morning for first time.

November 22nd

Went home for day.

Wednesday November 27th

Started orderly work in Balfour's place who left hospital.

November 28th

Went to London to Palace Theatre with Sister Morrison & 3 other fellows from McAlpine.

Saturday December 7th

Went to Northwood in Cinema in afternoon.
George arrived home from Chatham. [His brother George Norman Cook]

December 9th

Concert at High School for Girls at Northwood.

December 10th

Went home.
Saw George & Ciss [his sister Elizabeth] & kiddies [Florrie & Joan].

December 12th

Went to Concert at Girls High School Northwood.

December 13th

Went home to see George & Ciss & kiddies

December 15th

Wrote three letters.

December 16th

Had whist drive in Day Room.
Made 87 points 14 hands.

December 17th

Went home for day.
Saw George & Ciss.

December 18th

George went back to Chatham.
Had photo taken with Sproule, Perry & Millman outside Ripple tea rooms.

December 24th

Went to Pay Office London & two Picture Houses.
Had tea in Strand Corner House.

Wednesday December 25th

Had Service in Ward in morning & a good dinner.
Whist drive in evening.
Won 3rd prize - pocket wallet.

December 26th

Went for walk with Sisters Mavor & Morrison & Matron's son & Sproule, Baker & Millman.
Tea & entertainment in evening with returned prisoners & their wives & kiddies.
Made closing speech.

December 29th

Caught 12:20 p.m. train for home.
Pass till Wednesday 1st 9:00 p.m.
Arrived home about 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday December 31st

Had tea & supper at A. Churcher's house.

Notes made in the diary.

Cadet J. R. Ferguson
No. 2 Coy. C.I.S. (or C.T.S)
Bexhill on Sea
Sussex

Revolver No. 147067

Lt. J. R. Ferguson
20th Reserve
Bromshott
England

Miss R. P. Roodhouse
41 Maldon Road
Colchester

84 Butt Road
Colchester

S.S.M. Roodhouse
8th Hussars.

Brewer
C/o Mrs. J. Mitcham
The Cottage
Lambeth Road
West Croydon

Abbreviations
Art. or Arty. Off. = Artillery Officer
Bde. = Brigade
B.M. = Brigade Major
Bttn. or Bn. or Batt.= Battalion
Capt. or Cptn.= Captain
C.C.S. = Casualty Clearing Station
C.I.B. = Canadian Infantry Battalion
Coy. = Company
Cpl. = Corporal
Div. = Division
G.O.C. = General Officer Commanding
H.Q. = Head Quarters
L/Cpl. = Lance Corporal
Lieut. or Lt. = Lieutenant
L.T.M. = ? possibly Light something Machine?
M.G. = machine gun
N.C.O. = Non-Commissioned Officer
N.P. = Nothing Particular - Written throughout in pale blue ink in these curly letters
O.C. = Officer Commanding
O.P. = Observation Post
P.P.C.L.I. = Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Pte. = Private
S.C.I. = ?
Sgt. = Sergeant
Sig. Off. = Signals Officer