******An important day for the Diary. May 19th 1915 is the day my Grandfather left for France so from now on there will be two entries....one for 1915 and one for 1916 - I'll make 1915 blue and keep black for 1916*******

May 19th 1915

Left Aldershot 6pm. Embarked on “The Queen” at Folkestone 10.30pm for Boulogne, arrived about midnight

and camped there for the night.

******* I'd love to find a picture of "The Queen" - if there is anyone who can point me in the right direction I'd be extremely grateful********

May 19th 1916

This is a pretty lively sort of hole. Fritz appears to have a pretty good assortment of strafing appliances. Shells of all calibre, mines, trench mortars, rifle grenades, bombs galore. The front line must be having quite an interesting time.

******* I wonder whether 12 months previously Arthur would have thought that in 12 months time he would still be at War and so relaxed to describe his position simply as a 'lively sort of hole!"? - I suspect not*******