AUGUST 1916
1 Tuesday
Had a trip up to the firing line. Left Houplines at 6.30pm, loaded four wagons, sand and gravel at RE Park, got up to dump near Vierstraat at 10pm arriving back in camp at 12.45am.
2 Wednesday
No entry
3 Thursday
Off to dump at Viestraat tonight again with sand and gravel, timber etc. Got back to billets at 1.30am.
4 Friday
Another journey to Vierstraat tonight again with sand. Back to billets 11.30pm
5 Saturday
No entry
6 Sunday
Orders to move to Fletre on Tuesday. Expect to move from here Thursday for further south.
7 Monday
Busy all day packing and preparing to move tomorrow. My first move on this work but I just managed to get through alright.
8 Tuesday
Finished loading and hooked in at 9.30am. moving off at 10am arriving at Fletre at 1pm. We came via Saexken[1] and Meteren. Busy time getting horses fixed up and fed. The usual stables for the remainder of the day.
9 Wednesday
Np move today. Still at Fletre. The usual stables routine and exercising horses.
10 Thursday
Busy preparing for moving off again tomorrow.
11 Friday
Reveille 3am. Left camp 6am arrived Bailleul West 7.20 entrained and moved off at 10.30 arriving Doullens South 3.40pm. Detrained and moved off at 5.40 on a 16km march to Bernaville arriving at 8pm. Got horses watered, feed and fixed up by about 9pm. We are now in the 9th Corps 4TH Army.
12 Saturday
Reveille 6am. The usual stables. 6pm had a cycle ride as far as the Gorges valley wood, a fine nights outing.
13 Sunday
Usual routing
14 Monday
Packing ready for an early move tomorrow. To be hooked in by 2.45am
15 Tuesday
Reveille 12 midnight, watered, feed and moved off at 2.55am. Trekked via Canaples to Vignacourt arriving at 6.15am breakfast 7.45 then to sleep until 11.30. We are now in the 10th Corps 4th Army.
16 Wednesday
Reveille 3am. Ready to move off at 4.30 and moved at 5.30. Travelled via Flesselles, Villiers Bocage and Molliens aux Boise to Montigny arriving about 11.30, a journey of 16km. We had 2 hrs delay owing to traffic on the road. We are now in the 3rd Corps of the 4th Army.
17 Thursday
Usual stable routing and overhauling signal stores. Had a look into Montigny and Melencourt villages.
18 Friday
Commenced signal class. Shortage of rations the whole time since we left Westoutre.
19 Saturday
Signal instruction all day. About midnight a very heavy bombardment could be heard. The whole place being lit up with the flash of our guns. It lasted well into Sunday.
20 Sunday and 21 Monday
No entries
22 Tuesday
Saw by the papers that our men had advanced on the night of Saturday and Sunday to a depth of 300yds on a 12 mile front taking 1600 prisoners. Had a cycle ride through Baizeiux almost to Henencourt. Paid a visit to the Sgts. Mess of an aeroplane squadron. I do not know its name.
24 Thursday and 25 Friday
No entries
26 Saturday
4.30pm cycled to Bussy-les-Daours and saw my brother. First time since a year past May. They have been in action near Montauben and Mametz for 7 weeks. I got wet through on the road back to camp.
27 Sunday
Had a day in Amiens on pass. Leaving here at 11am arriving there about 12.45pm. Had a good day in spite of the weather. Visited the Cathedral during service. Leaving again about 7pm and landing in camp about 8.15pm. Had a fine hot bath while in the town. Cost 1½Frs but it was worth it.
28 Monday
My two brothers[2] came and spent the day with me. It is the first time we have all been together since a year past May. They came about 10am and left again about 7.30. These last few days the weather has been very wet, very changeable.
29 Tuesday
The usual Sig. practice all day. About 3.45pm it came on a very heavy thunder storm and rained in torrents. The lighting and thunder was continuous until 4.30pm it cleared out fair again about 5 o’clock.
30 Wednesday
No entry
31 Thursday
Heard that 5 of our planes did not return in that storm of Tuesday. They must have been compelled to come down in the German lines.
Notes:
[1] Not marked on modern map
[2] Benjamin & Joseph Rowlandson
The Gaunless Valley in World War 1 