Sunday, March 11th, 1917

Lonely day due to cross channel at 1 50 PM. Crossed channel in 1 hr 25 minutes, arrived at Boulogne. First taste of Bully Beef & Biscuit. Sleeping in tents.

Monday, March 12th, 1917

Staying over today. Got pass to visit town Dirtiest town ever saw in my life. Had shave in barbers. Some time talking to girl in Candy store, Just know one word which was understood Chocolate.

Tuesday, March 13th, 1917

Still staying over at Boulogne Visited Mrs Capt Weeks sister at S.A. Had supper with Adj. Mary Booth the Generals daughter. Had a lovely time. Went through Boulogne Cathedral. Magnificent dome.

Wednesday, March 14th, 1917

Running very heavy in morning. Entrenched for Le Havre at 4 P.M. On Train all night. Bunch of German Prisoners on train. Train travels about 8 miles an hour. Slept on rack for some hours.

Thursday, March 15th, 1917

Still on train, passing through beautiful orchard country. Passed through Rouen, but did not stop. Cooking tea by candle light some stunt. Arrive at Harfleurs and march to Roulles Camp

Friday, March 16th, 1917

Soldiering right now. Issued Gas Helmet Rifle + Bayonet, Goggles and several other things. Diet, Bully beef and hard tack. All troops are confined to camp in France except in rare cases one gets a pass. Met Tom Marsden who is casualty with varicose veins. Twelve in a tent with equipment takes some doing.

Saturday, March 17th, 1917

On training area. Splendid address on Sexual question by Rev J.D. Hiley of Y.M.C.A. at night. Feet still crippled with Imperial boots.

Sunday, March 18th, 1917

Church parade in morning. Y.M.C.A. at night.

Monday, March 19th, 1917

Tom Marsden leaves for front today. Concert at Y.M.C.A. at night.

Tuesday, March 20th, 1917

On training area in morning. Heavy fall of snow had to retire at noon. Wet through almost to hide. Some stunts in this country Madam Wheeler in Y.M.C.A. giving Greek play Eleebru. Some class.

Wednesday, March 21st, 1917

On training area. Fighting in trenches with blank cartridges, real interesting work. Religious Service at Y.M.C.A. at night.

Thursday, March 22nd, 1917

Divisional day. In Camp pay parade and cleaning up lines. Y.M.C.A. concert at night

Friday, March 23rd, 1917

Testing rifles on miniature Range. Off duty in afternoon.

Saturday, March 24th, 1917

Preliminary musketry in morning. Off duty in afternoon Lecture at night by Commander Eldred, subject Different types of battleships. 4 P.M. Daylight savings still comes into operation today. Clocks set one hour ahead.

Sunday, March 25th, 1917

Lonely day. Church parade in morning Night at Y.M.C.A. Text John 3 x 16.

Monday, March 26th, 1917

Raining nearly all the day. Stayed in camp. Two lectures in morning nothing at all in afternoon. Big draft left for the front, Central Y.M.C.A. concert party at night. Fine concert

Tuesday, March 27th, 1917

Bayonet Drill all day Some jumping for an old stager like me. Lecture at night. "Prehistoric animals" by Professor John

Wednesday, March 28th, 1917

Musketry in morning Bombing in afternoon. Nice easy day. Movies at night.

Thursday, March 29th, 1917

Divisional day. Fatigue in Camp. Raining all day so stayed in camp 1st 50th draft standing ready to depart. Our turn will surely come at last.

Friday, March 30th, 1917

Raining very heavy did not go on hill in morning. Left for training Camp 10 am. Heavy downfall of rain and were compelled to retire at 2 P.M. for home.

Saturday, March 31st, 1917

On Training Area in morning. Saw draft of 1,700 depart for up the line. Turner among the bunch. Guess we will be next. Still raining.

Sunday, April 1st, 1917

Church parade in morning Cof. 6. Still showery. No mail received as yet. Went walk full limit of bounds, very pretty greenery. Y.M.C.A. service at night.

Monday, April 2nd, 1917

Went to training area and had to retire at noon on [?] of rain. Sprained ankle on way down hill. Washing day today, Y.M.C.A. at night Professor Capper Thought reader.

Tuesday, April 3rd, 1917

Snowing very heavy Off parade with sprained ankle. Mail arrives first since coming into camp but none for Jimmy. Concert at Y.M.C.A.

Wednesday, April 4th, 1917

Still raining held up in camp. Got letter from Fannie first since March 4th.

Thursday, April 5th, 1917

Divisional day on fatigue all day. Pay day. Got parcel from Hoylake

Friday, April 6th, 1917

Good Friday. Drilled on hill last day for training. Awaiting orders to leave for up the line.

Saturday, April 7th, 1917

Kitchen fatigue all day S.A. Hut often, splendid building. Had medical inspection and of course passed without any difficulty. Feel slightly nervous.

Sunday, April 8th, 1917

Easter Sunday. On road making fatigue. Went to S.A. at night. S.A. certainly handle good line of supplies.

Monday, April 9th, 1917

On roadmaking fatigue. Very refreshing lecture by Capt Hiley on Niagara Vimy Ridge taken by Canadians. Good for Hughes Rag time army

Tuesday, April 10th, 1917

Too stormy to work. Laid off all day. Lena Ashwells concert party at Y.M.C.A. at night.

Wednesday, April 11th, 1917

Still awaiting orders. On fatigue in drying room some easy job. Hard at work studying French

Thursday, April 12th, 1917

Off to the front leave Havre

Friday, April 13th, 1917

Arrive some little jump off place and are billeted in dirty old stable.

Saturday, April 14th, 1917

Arrive at Ferfay camp. Billeted in stables. Dandy nice billet, people in extaminet are wonderfully kind to us.

Sunday, April 15th, 1917

Standing to all day for inspection which did not take place. Village very pretty but no means of amusement.

Monday, April 16th, 1917

Back to recruit drill. Saluting by numbers etc. Good coffee to be purchased in all estaminets.

Tuesday, April 17th, 1917

Standing to on account of rain. 4th Canadians highly recommended for victory at Vimy Ridge.

Wednesday, April 18th, 1917

Still forming fours. No water to be had in this town.

Thursday, April 19th, 1917

Movie pictures in Canteen at night Building bomb parapets.

Friday, April 20th, 1917

Still on fatigue. Walked to next village at night.

Saturday, April 21st, 1917

Last day in Ferfay

Sunday, April 22nd, 1917

Left Ferfay 8am. and reached Ruitz 1 PM. Stayed here over night. Now in real danger zone and gas masks to be worn. Miserable little town not a thing worth looking at.

Monday, April 23rd, 1917

Off again on March saw fight in air between aeroplanes. Arrived at Mt St Eloi and met some old friends. Poor old Erakine killed at Vimy Ridge.

Tuesday, April 24th, 1917

Leave for firing line and attached to Machine Gun Section of A company. Got mail from Fannie, Poor old girl she is sure feeling blue Got a nice parel from Hoylake

Wednesday, April 25th, 1917

Front line trenches. Quiet time.

Thursday, April 26th, 1917

Front line, Heavy shell fire, terrible experience. Too bad this thing must continue

Friday, April 27th, 1917

In support of dugout, Brick yard Fritz dropping heavies over on top of us. Appear to be in danger of death all the time

Saturday, April 28th, 1917

D.Co. have 20 casualties. We are not relieved owing to this

Sunday, April 29th, 1917

Day opens quietly. 1 2nd + 3rd Divisions have gone over the top. Our turn next. Lord help us.

Monday, April 30th, 1917

Still in dugout being shelled night & day. Boys on work forty being killed & wounded. Moved further back in supports

Tuesday, May 1st, 1917

Lovely day. Good news from night flank, 600 prisoners Warwicks over the top this morning. Out on working party at night

Wednesday, May 2nd, 1917

Very fine spring day and things generally quiet. But on working party at night. Due to go over the top in morning

Thursday, May 3rd, 1917

Moved over to new supports again. 1 man killed 0 injured in top line party.

Friday, May 4th, 1917

Got three lovely letters from Fannie, I am glad I have such a good wife, God grant I may be spared to return to her again, also letter from Grace

Saturday, May 5th, 1917

Still in supports expect to pull out for front line trench on Sunday night Lovely weather and not having too bad a time

Sunday, May 6th, 1917

Still in supports being shelled heavily by Fritz but no casualties. Unable to be relieved till Monday morning owing to heavy shelling of enemy

Monday, May 7th, 1917

Worst experience as yet in supports no trench to speak of as shelter and being shelled very heavily.

Tuesday, May 8th, 1917

Still being shelled very heavily. Hanson killed

Wednesday, May 9th, 1917

Still getting worse all the time.

Thursday, May 10th, 1917

Terrible ten hours bombardment Shell gets 11 men in one dugout Turner & Garden both killed.

Friday, May 11th, 1917

Relieved ten oclock at night. Jimmy gets lost and spends night in bush under shell fire

Saturday, May 12th, 1917

Arrive in camp 4 P.M. all in. Marked missing at muster parade.

Sunday, May 13th, 1917

Attended church at Y.M.C.A. at night took communion

Monday, May 14th, 1917

Drill as usual - afternoon off

Tuesday, May 15th, 1917

Same program.

Wednesday, May 6th, 1917

Ditto

Thursday, May 17th, 1917

Put on Brigade wiring party. Pay day. Divisional Concert Party at night. Nothing doing in way of peace at German Parliamentary meeting

Friday, May 18th, 1917

Sports in afternoon Feel blue as I think of return to trenches. I want to see the dear old home again.

Saturday, May 19th, 1917

Went Petit Sorvino and had supper 4 eggs & Bread & real butter, a regular treat. Under orders for the line to leave Sunday. They always seem to move on Sundays

Sunday, May 20th, 1917

On Sgts Mess for the day, to move out at 5.45 P.M. Moved to Berthonval wood.

Monday, May 21st, 1917

On working party all day and not too bad at all. Y.M.C.A. dug outs all over the place. Really wonderful how they follow the boys right close to the firing line.

Tuesday, May 22nd, 1917

Raining all day. Went to Mont St Eloi and had supper in S.A. Hut. Got lost for 11/2 hrs before I located home again. Got orders to move out at ten oclock at night but nothing doing for which I was deeply grateful

Wednesday, May 23rd, 1917

Our last day in Reserve wonder if I will live to come out again. "War is hell" said General Sherman and I wonder what would be his thoughts if he could see this one. 4th Division Concert Party at night.

Thursday, May 24th, 1917

On Sanitary fatigue in morning. Move out to chalk pits in afternoon.

Friday, May 25th, 1917

On Brigade wiring party at night. Sleeping out in bivouac. Not a bad job.

Saturday, May 26th, 1917

On wiring party at night. Had to retire on a/c of barrage. Y.M.C.A. supplies hot tea to working party.

Sunday, May 27th, 1917

Fritz shelling everywhere in general this morning. Went to Mont St Eloi to some of 145th boys in 31st Batt but could not locate them Got lost on way home. Did not go out wiring this night

Monday, May 28th, 1917

Lovely weather, country just covered with flowers everywhere looks lovely except where the war has left ruin and desolation. Expect to return to battalion to go over the top. Hate the think of the job. Broke government glasses. Sent to 12 Field Ambulance to get new glasses

Tuesday, May 29th, 1917

Still at horse line waiting to go away to get new glasses Having a good time wish I could stay here all the time. Visited 31st Batt and saw a lot of my old friends from the 175th Batt. Stayed to French Concert party at night.

Wednesday, May 30th, 1917

Down to go to Grand Swans to eye specialist and thence to Arquis.

Thursday, May31st, 1917

Made trip to arquis in Red Cross Ambulance distance of about forty miles through lovely country. Got new pair of glasses but dont think they are any good.

Friday, June 1st, 1917

Back to the Unit arrived 11 P.M

Saturday, June 2nd, 1917

In supports and due to go over the top on Sunday morning. This may be may last entry if among those who fall. I die firm in the belief of a crucified Christ. I want my wife to know that my only regret was on her account and die blessing her with my last breath. May God protect her.