DECEMBER 1915

Wednesday 1st

Start on trek to Grecque—a hot and tiring march. Get a bed in Grecque and have a good sleep. Meet Gilly. Forward young woman.

Thursday 2nd

Parade again at 8am. A “field crime” Incident causes amusement to Balls. Pritchard pinched it. Awful scourge back but glad it was only two days.

Friday 3rd

Usual parades. Rain washout.

Saturday 4th

Usual Parades. Rain washout.

Sunday 5th

Went to church. Good feed. Walk across fields.

Monday 6th

Usual parades.

Tuesday 7th

Musketry with recruits. Nothing exciting.

Wednesday 8th

Route march cancelled owing to weather. Quiet day.

Thursday 9th

Take over orderly Sgt. Route march cancelled. Nothing doing.

Friday 10th

Route march cancelled owing to rain. Go to French girl’s house in evening. Interesting and amusing conversation. Nice girls—quite nicest so far encountered. News of return to trenches next week with heavy absurd daily programme.

Saturday 11th

Up at 7am. Usual Orderly Sgt. duty. Rains.

Sunday 12th

Nothing much doing. News that we are returning to line next day. Rugby match. 20th v. 18th. 20th won 4-0. I “refd”. Unique experience.

Monday 13th

Parade early and after marching to Lillers take train to Noeux les Mines from where we march to Vaudricourt. Spend the afternoon and evening feeding.

Tuesday 14th

March to Noyelles—long and tiring march. Billeted in wooden huts—quite comfy and sleep well. Still Orderly Sgt. and have a slack time. Go to Vermelles in afternoon and visited church tower. Awfully smashed up. Interesting chateau.

Wednesday 15th

Slack day and nothing doing. Play footer in the afternoon Nothing much doing. Talk of Coll. in estaminet. Some very funny incidents.

Thursday 16th

Find a bomb and nearly kill Cobbo. Went off in parapet instead of trench, hence he escaped. Played footer. Nothing doing.

Friday 17th

Parade at 7am and trenches opposite Hulluch. Very long communication trench. Very wet and muddy—no dug-outs and most uncomfortable. Go on patrol with Elliot and have very narrow squeak. Glad to get in. Windy walk along disused trench.

Saturday 18th

[Missing from diary.]

Sunday 19th

[Missing from diary.]

Monday 20th

Spend day clearing up. Have an awful job but succeed. Nothing much doing. Sleep well.

Tuesday 21st

Should have been inspected by C.O. but rain mercifully intervened and saved my life. Celebrate Xmas in evening. Fine feed and rough house up stairs. Sleep well.

Wednesday 22nd

Up late and have very easy day. Detailed in charge of permanent working party. Have a bath in afternoon. Very hurried but glad to change clothes. Rumours of night alarm. Half hour’s notice.

Thursday 23rd

Parade at 6.30am and march to Philosophe and billet in 6th RAMC hosp. Made C.R.M.E (temp) and working party goes out at 4 and returns about 12.30. Awful night. Tired.

Friday 24th

Turn in but have to rise at 4am to go to Vermelles as German attack is expected. We explode mine and capture crater. See Coll. chaps and return to Philosophe in afternoon. Working party goes out at l0pm to work. I go to bed very tired. Xmas eve.

Saturday 25th

Rise at 4am and give the working party breakfast. Orders to parade again at 5am. By good luck this parade is washed out and we sleep until 1pm. Good. Fine dinner with R.A.M.C. Turkey, whisky, etc. Can’t eat tea but spend night with Staff Sgt. Boxall and have good time. Bed at 12 o’clock. Quite a good merry Xmas thank you.

Sunday 26th

Rise at 8am. Nothing doing during day. Take a walk up to the trenches in the evening and have a look round, seeing all the chaps. Get back about ten o’clock. Very tired.

Monday 27th

Usual stroll round during day. Nothing much doing.

Tuesday 28th

Rise about 10 o’clock and see 20th come out of line. Very tired. Walk with Sandy to Sailly la Bourse and stay with chaps for rest of evening. Fine night in estaminet. Teddy Swift now a married man. Walk to Philosophe. Bed about l0pm.

Wednesday 29th

Up about l0am. Go to Sailly to get footgrease—by motor car. Home again at 3 by horse ambulance. Go back again in limber. Terrible jolts on stony road. Good night. Home by motor car. Fine ride and feeling tired turn in early.

Thursday 30th

Battalion go into line again. I receive orders to join Batt. Leave about 3.45am for line. Arrive at Batt. H.Q. and two mines go up. Exciting rush up two miles of communication trench. Rapid fire and much shelling. Little damage except trenches. March out in morning. Awful scourge. Uneventful night. Nothing doing.

Friday 31st

Sailly la Bourse. Spend day clearing up and do very little. Go to bed early and sleep well.

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