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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

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About this blog

The diary was written in 1918 by William Markham. Thanks to the very kind help of members of this forum I know some of the details of his life: he was born in 1898, so he was aged 19-20 during the diary having enlisted aged 16 (he changed his age to 19). He was awarded the Military Medal in 1916. He survived the war and married his fiancee Eveline Parkin in 1924. I am no relation to him and bought the diary recently- it would be good to find any living relatives. William Markham's writing is quite hard to read in places and the diary itself is very fragile so apologies in advance for the words I was unable to work out. I had to guess in a few places hence the question marks! Most of it should be an accurate transcription though. 

Entries in this blog

Months

November and December 1918

NOVEMBER   November 1st: Moved to (unclear) for rest. Expecting my leave.  November 2nd: [blank]  November 3rd: Going on leave tonight.  November 4th : Left (Ledegem?) for Boulogne at 5am. Arrived Boulogne 6.50am  November 5th: Left Boulogne for Folkestone at 11.30am, arrived 1am, London at 4.20pm  November 6th: Grimsby at 5.30am home 6.am  November 7th – 10th: On Leave  November 11th: Armistice signed by Germany. On Leave. November 12th- Novembe
Alissa

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Months

September and October 1918

SEPTEMBER   September 1st: Workshop September 2nd-9th: Ditto  September 10th: Returned to battery  September 11th: Went to gun line on right of (unclear)  September 12th: Quiet in early morning. Desultory shelling rest of day.  September 13th: Heavy gas shell strafe last night. No one gassed. Gas marks worn 1 to 6 AM.  September 14th: Came out of action 1AM. (unclear) in reserve.  September 15th: Overshadowing guns etc in gun park.  September 16t
Alissa

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July and August 1918

JULY   July 1st: Wound inflamed, had to give up working. Resting all day.  July 2nd: Wound dressed in morning, resting all day.  July 3rd: same as yesterday.  July 4th: ditto  July 5th: ditto  July 6th: wound getting better. Went out at night.  July 7th: went out in afternoon for walk.  July 8th: getting better again. Wound nearly healed.  July 9th: Expect to go out shortly. Went for a walk to Zegerscappel in evening.  July 10th: Drew equipm
Alissa

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May and June 1918

MAY   May 1st: Told doctor I was alright. Discharged and went back to Battery.  May 2nd: Got to gun line which has moved to right of Westouter (unclear)  May 3rd: Last old gunner in the Battery, others away. Nothing doing much in morning. Firing hard in afternoon to night.  May 4th: Sent to wagon line for a rest in morning.  May 5th: Having a quiet time of it down wagon line  May 6th: Ditto  May 7th: Battery moving guns to bottom of Mont de Cats came out o
Alissa

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Months

March and April 1918

MARCH   March 1st: Cleaning gun down.  Cold but fine day.  March 2nd: Cleaning down again & generally doing nothing.  March 3rd: We're (?) building reserve gun pits for if (unclear) breaks through. Got shelled. (unclear)  March 4th: Cleaning (spare?) (unclear) in gun park March 5th: Letter from Evie. Went on exercise with two horses. Rest of day gun park  March 6th: Beautiful day like summer. Wrote Evie  March 7th: Same again (unclear) all day  Ma
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Months

January and February 1918

Note: these two months are hard to read in places due to faded pencil but I've done my best to transcribe them. Fairly uneventful but hope people enjoy.  ---    With love to Wil from Eveline To whom I dedicate this diary W Markham, 84th Battery RFA BEF Received this diary whilst out at Rest at Proven, Belgium Jan 8th 1918.     JANUARY       January 1st January 2nd January 3rd January 4th: Left at 9.am for Proven for
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