Publisher now hedging bets and referring book to third party who organises WW1 trips to Western Front!? Oh well, never mind. If all else fails, self-publishing seems the answer...

Anyway, November entries for Grandfather's diary for anyone interested. He goes on leave after his father is killed in an accident on a pre-dreadnought in the Dardenelles.

NOVEMBER 1915

Monday 1st

Up at 8 o’clock and get ready for bath at 10.30. Splendid bath. Change and cocoa after. Fine arrangements. Fine thing, a bath after such a scourge. Rest most of the day and enjoy it.

Tuesday 2nd

Go out in the morning for a few hours extended order drill. Queer feeling training after so much standing in trenches. Nothing doing in the afternoon so stay in mess and read and write.

Wednesday 3rd

Work similar to yesterday. Return and have good dinner. Get news of Father’s death in explosion on H.M.S. Hannibal in Dardenelles. Fail to realise the situation. Poor old mater—must write to her and try and get leave. Expect this to be crisis in our lives. Decide upon a course of action and will look after mater. She must go to Scotland. To whom?

Thursday 4th

Put in application for leave to Brigade office. Waiting all day for news but does not come through. Morning spent in usual drills. Nothing doing in afternoon. Company goes on working party in evening. Am excused and have restless night. Always thinking of my dear mother and sister. Feel they are my special charge.

Friday 5th

Up at about eight in morning. No parades so make tea and have breakfast. Get no news of leave, but hear we are due for the trenches on Sunday.

Saturday 6th

Apart from the usual parade, the only event was an inspection by the Local Mayor. We were kept standing for about 3 hours and froze. He was a miserable blinking blighter and seemed afraid to smile.

Sunday 7th

Spend day getting ready to go in line to relieve the 6th Brig. Start out about 5 o’clock and leave Lens road at Victoria Station because of the awful scourge over road full of shell holes. Quite funny at times. Rotten trenches with no dug-outs. Fatigue to R. E. dump. Nothing doing—return and try to sleep.

Monday 8th

About fairly early and have breakfast with Schachts and Denning. Good job had no grub myself. Get orders to report at H. Q. for leave at 12 o’clock. Go across country to Brig. H. Q. Get shelled and have one narrow squeak. Meet Sandy at Mazingarbe and later leave for Noeux les Mines. Train to Bethune and leave there at 12 midnight. Very tired and have no grub.

Tuesday 9th

Most uncomfortable journey owing to the cold and hard seats. Generous fellow travellers help us along. After journey of 23 hours get to Le Havre and rush across town to docks to get on board almost wet through. Leave about 8.30pm and have very rough crossing. Many sick.

Wednesday 10th

Arrive at Southampton at 4am and get to Waterloo at 8am. Go to Strand Palace for breakfast. Good. Have wash, shave, and face massage and feel fit. Go to Twickenham but miss L— at dinner time. See her about 3pm and go up to Corner House to tea. Meet J. Williams in Leic. Sq. Go to Palace to see Bric a Brac. Good. Taxi to Victoria home at 2.15am. Tired.

Thursday 11th

Mother much better than expected so to bed about 5am. Rise early next day and go to Fort Pitt Hospital. Unsuccessful. Go to Math. and later with Bob Swain to Empire and supper at Troc. Fine night. Went to bed fairly early feeling very tired.

Friday 12th

Go up to Twickenham and go to school arriving just at closing time. Have dinner at restaurant off Victoria and take taxi to Criterion to see A Bit of Fluff. Awfully funny. Taxi to Vict. arrive home at 2.15am. Tired.

Saturday 13th

Get P.C. from Gilly saying he is on leave. So to reunion with L— at Vict. Lunch at Lyons. Get to reunion and meet Gilly, Alf, May, Billy and whole host of pals. Great time. Taxi with Alf and May to Ambassadors. No luck. Go by taxi to Vaudeville to see Kick In. American drama—very dramatic and intense. Quite pleased. Taxi from Traf. Sq. to Vict. Home 3am.

Sunday 14th

Stay at home. Go for short walk in afternoon. Tea with Mrs. P. Talk over affairs about mater. Have long heart to heart talk with mother. Poor old mater.

Monday 15th

Up 8 o’clock. Go to Fort Pitt Hospital see L—’s brother. Not bad but not well. Go to town and Twickenham. Go in to school. Reading lesson held. Tea at Maids of Honour. Walk along river. Fine evening but am grievously disappointed. History repeats itself. Strange! Miss train at Vict. Catch 5am. Home about nine.

Tuesday 16th

Breakfast then sleep until 2pm. Go to Rochester meet Bob and go with [indecipherable] to dinner. Fine night and enjoyable merry wind up. Home at l o’clock Very tired.

Wednesday 17th

Up early and go to London. Get to Twickenham about 3.30pm. L— gets off. Tea at Maids of Honour. Walk along river bank. Interesting conversation. New appreciation. Regrets. Sorry to go home but leave Vict. by 12.06. Home 3am.

Thursday 18th

Last day of leave. Sorry. Leave home about 1.30 and get to Waterloo at 3.15pm. Have tea with L— and Sandy. Forced merriment. Jolly sorry to go back but cheer up on down journey. Get on boat about 7pm and sail about 11pm. Cold and rain.

Friday 19th

Have fairly decent voyage but awfully cold. Spend all day in train but nothing important happens. Get to Lillers at 2am and walk about. Sleep in empty house with Sandy. Nearly frozen.

Saturday 20th

Rise about six and search for breakfast. Get some and get a lift on motor lorry to Auchel and join Coy. at 8.45am. Tired but do nothing that day. Glad to be back but have memories. Glad Sleep well.

Sunday 21st

Skeleton church parade so don’t attend. Walk to next village with Schact and Swift. Spend evening in Elvers. Sleep well.

Monday 22nd

Go to recruit field and assist Lomas with N.C.Os and Officers’ squad. Not particularly exciting. Shouting parade in afternoon. Quiet evening.

Tuesday 23rd

Recruit field. Gilly returns. Usual business on recruit field. Read and Lomas get their commissions. Celebrations in evening very enjoyable—but poor old Gilly. Sleep well.

Wednesday 24th

Usual parades. Nothing of eventful nature. Route march—not bad. 12 miles.

Thursday 25th

Recruit field.

Friday 26th

Same as Thursday. Brig. inspects recruits and says they are “Dirty”. His remarks beget numerous inspections. Nothing doing. Go to tea with A Coy. Good time. Sleep indifferently well. Finish John Verney.

Saturday 27th

Usual parades but wangle afternoon off. Feel morbid. Nothing doing.

Sunday 28th

No church parade. Quiet day. Good feed.

Monday 29th

Usual parades.

Tuesday 30th

Usual parades.

NOTE: No part of this document to be re-printed or published in any form without specific written permission of W A M MacCormick © W A M MacCormick 2006