Canadian Journal

[74Hogg]

My father gave me my great granfathers journal a little over a year ago. He was George William Whittingham of the 121st battalion (CEF). My original thought was to donate it to one of the war museums or library and archives versus it just sitting in a box. But I would really like to know the context of his writings first. So I started an attempt at reading it and transcribing it to a notebook. Made it to the end of April 1917 as of last night. Really a struggle trying to make out some of his writings. Pretty sure he was in the trenches around Mont Saint Eloi. Has been very interesting to read. Finally dawned on me to look for a WW1 forum for help  when I came upon this site. Was looking for thoughts and opinions as what to do? 

[PRC]

20 minutes ago, 74Hogg said:

He was George William Whittingham of the 121st battalion (CEF).

Hi @74Hogg and welcome to the forum.

Like many of the higher numbered Battalions, the 121st was broken up on arrival in the UK. I believe the men went initially to the 16th Reserve Battalion before being posted on to units already serving overseas.

Hopefully from either his journal or his service record you will be able to identify which units he served with. From that you can then look up the Battalion War Diary. Not only will you then be able to see where they were and what they were up, but may help understand some of the difficult to make out parts of the journal. Going forward one option would then be to transcribe the Battalion war diary and then show your great-grandfathers entry for the same day alongside - a quiet day at the Battalion level may have been hell for him and vice versa.

By the time he arrived in theatre it was also practice in a planned attack to leave 10% of the Battalion strength out of the line, a cadre around which a Battalion could be rebuilt in the event of the attackers being annihilated. Whereas the Battalion War Diary will tell you when they attacked, combining it with the journal, will give you a better idea of whether he was directly involved or not.  The War Diary will quite often reference specific Company's (A + C took over front line sort of thing), and again if your Great Grandfathers Company is known from the Journal then you will get an even more detailed view. Even if he doesn't state his Company but gives details of officers it may be possible to work out which one he was in..

In case you don't have it, his service record can be downloaded from here https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=308250

Instructions on how to access the War Diaries can be found here https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/Pages/war-diaries.aspx

Hope that helps,
Peter

[74Hogg]

Peter,

Thanks for the links. I had found his service record but was not aware of the war diaries. Good idea to compare the two. He does mention working the D sap in plenty of diary entries. Several encounters with Frity. 4-4-17 he went in line with the 7th. Not sure if that makes him part of the 7th or not. Then 4-24-1917 he entered put in No 14 platoon. I'll post a picture of this entry. Thanks again and I'll take a look at the war diaries.

[PRC]

57 minutes ago, 74Hogg said:

4-4-17 he went in line with the 7th. Not sure if that makes him part of the 7th or not. Then 4-24-1917 he entered put in No 14 platoon.

Took a very quick look at his service record and very much looks like he was 7th Battalion.

I think 1917 looks like this as far as the service record is concerned - apologies if I've missed anything.

Left the Canadian Army Base at Bramshott on the 28^th November 1916 as part of a draft intended for the 7^th Battalion.
Reached the Canadian Base Depot in France on the 29^th November 1916
14^th December 1916 Posted to the 1^st Entrenching Battalion, reaching them on the 16^th.
Caught up with the 7^th Battalion in the Field on the 20^th March 1917.
4^th August 1917 – lost his gas helmet and it’s satchel by neglect. Cost subsequently stopped from his pay.
15^th August 1917 – wounded. Gun shot wound Right Leg (Slight).
17^th August 1917. Moved from 1 Casualty Clearing Station via 3 Ambulance Train to 22^nd General Hospital, Camiers.
21^st August 1917. Moved to 6 Convalesence Depot, Etaples.
1^st September 1917. Moved to 13 Convalesence Depot, Trouville.
7^th October 1917. Discharged to the Re-inforcements Depot at Etaples. (1 Canadian Infantry Base Depot).
12^th October 1917. Taken on strength of the Depot.
18^th October 1917. Left for 7^th Battalion.
21^st October 1917. Caught up with unit.

And the 7th Battalion War Diary that ties in datewise with the Journal entries.

Image courtesy Libraries and Archives Canada.

Cheers,
Peter

[74Hogg]

So far his diary entries match the time frames and places you listed in his service record . I was wrong about his service records. Just saw the two pages on his enlisting and thought that was all of it. Went back to the link you sent and was able to see a lot more records via the pdf link. Been interesting trying to retrace the footprints of this little diary. Lots of information in the war diaries to look at as well. So thanks again.

[PRC]

7 hours ago, 74Hogg said:

So far his diary entries match the time frames and places you listed in his service record . I was wrong about his service records. Just saw the two pages on his enlisting and thought that was all of it. Went back to the link you sent and was able to see a lot more records via the pdf link. Been interesting trying to retrace the footprints of this little diary. Lots of information in the war diaries to look at as well. So thanks again.

My pleasure. Worth checking the appendices for additonal details - if anthing he's more likely to get a mention there rather than in the daily diary part - as well as maps. If maps are absent then may be worth checking out the Brigade War Diary. 7th Battalion were part 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, which in turn was part of the 1st Canadian Division.

The appendices may also give you some idea of what the working parties were doing - George was with a wiring party in mo-mans land when he had his second wounding in February 1918. It can also provide some insight into what they were expected to carry into battle, consolidating taken positions, anti-gas measures, etc. The events of 1918 detailed in his service records were a bit too complex to quickly summarise but as you get your head around it all and with the journal to guide you it will all hopefully make sense.

As you come across names in the journal it may also be worthwhile looking for service records and photo's. There is always a very small chamce that one of those names might turn up a group shot that includes yout relative.

Best of luck with your project and please do come back and ask questions - even if it's just a second set of eyes to look at a hard to decipher piece of writing.

Cheers,
Peter

[74Hogg]

I tried for a bit this morning to find his service records that matched the ones you posted, but with no luck. Was thinking his service records would have been under the appendices. After looking through the files it was mostly medical records and enlistment stuff. How did you navigate to the sequential timeline service records? 

The second set of eyes would be great. Cause mine are struggling. For example the picture in the post. I think it reads as: 

4-24-17 : Church parade put in No 14 platoon MG section? ( machine gun section)?

4-25-17 : Drilled all morning  off in afternoon  Cloudy? Day ( per war diary it was cloudy)

4-26-17 : Saw Fritys red devil bring down 2 of our planes easy?  Came back up to supports in wooderville?      camped in some dugouts                         ?     lighted stays 8    ?      In them 

4-27-17 : went out on a stokes carrying party under Mr. ?  Most of us got lost in ?    Spent the night in an of shallow bivy    

[PRC]

15 hours ago, 74Hogg said:

How did you navigate to the sequential timeline service records? 

The information is spread throught the record and most of it appears multiple times. As the focus was on establishing which unit he was with at the time those journal entries were written, that's why I concentrated on 1917. I just started from page 1 with notepad open on my screen and wrote the timelime as I went along, revising it a necessary and using that check that when the same information apppeared again on later pages the dates were consistant.

15 hours ago, 74Hogg said:

The second set of eyes would be great. Cause mine are struggling.

Not sure I can do much better.

Cheers,
Peter

 

Edited 26 September , 2022 by PRC
Typos

[74Hogg]

Peter

 Appreciate your help. The Casualty Form- Active Service was the one with a bit more detail. Intial glance it was a Casualty form and missed the Active Service part.