MARCH 1917

1 Thursday to 3 Saturday

No entry

4 Sunday

Had a ride over to HQ of 59^th Div. at Mericourt-sur-Somme to see our new place when we move there.  This Div. relieves us in a few days’ time.  On the road one of our anti-aircraft shells failed to explode in the middle of an amtn. dump but did not damage.  We were just passing at the time.

5 Monday

Another cover of snow today, rained in the afternoon.

6 Tuesday & 7 Wednesday

No entries

8 Thursday

Getting wagons packed as much as possible for move tomorrow.  One cable section under Sgt. Mitcheson left for Merricourt sur Somme at 11am.  59^th sent up two cable sections to take over remainder coming up in our planes tomorrow.

9 Friday

Left Proyart 10am for Mericourt passed 59^th Signals on the road.  This move no-one seems to know exactly where we are going to land.  Mericourt is only the first halt.

10 Saturday

Stable duties and washing wagons.  Very wet and foggy all day.

11 Sunday

Church parade.  Nothing else but the usual stables.  Got a post today, the first for five days.  Div’l. Signal Classes commence tomorrow 240 men to be instructed in the various methods of signalling.

12 Monday & 13 Tuesday

No entries

14 Wednesday

Gas tests this afternoon.  We had a lecture on the new helmet then spent 15 mins in a chamber filled with gas.

15 Thursday

No entry

16 Friday

The whole company were inoculated at 4.30pm.

17 Saturday

Feeling the effects of the inoculations.  From mid-day until bedtime I felt right off colour.  Took some quinine.  My temp was 102˚

18 Sunday

Off parades today but feel a lot better in myself.  Spending the day in my blankets.

19 Monday

Back to work again but still feel unequal to it.

20 Tuesday to 23 Friday

No entries

24 Saturday

At 11pm the time was advanced one hour.  We are now on summer time again.

25 Sunday

Had a trip to Amiens with motor lorry.  A party of about 20 of us went.  We left here at 11am and reached there at 1.40pm.  I spent a most pleasant day and left at 7.25pm from the station.  We stood outside control post until 9.15pm waiting of some officers of the party reached billets at 11.10pm.

26 Monday

Commenced visual classes this morning after a fortnights’ idleness.  Now we have to stick in every possible minute to learn all we can.  It did not strike those concerned to start them earlier.  This is the first visual practice the Divl. Sigs. have had since last August + Sept at Montigny.  They expect men to be perfect just the same.  We are on lamp practice one hour every night.

27 Tuesday

Sig classes.  Very cold with a strong wind and snow all day.

28 Wednesday

No entry

29 Thursday

Sig classes finished at noon.  Meet Col. Clayton late Bde. Maj 151 Bde.  He stopped, had a short chat.  Busy preplanning for moving tomorrow.

30 Friday

Reveille 4am.  Breakfast stables etc and moved off at 7.10am.  We are to be in Morcourt by 6.5am.  Our destination is St. Gratien, tick off 20 miles.  Today I completed 17 years’ service.  We moved via Pont Noyelles, Juerrieux[1], Corbie arriving St. Gratien at 3.10pm after tea a very cold, strong ride.   We had snow, hail and rain.  Very poor billets at night.  Pole bar on water cart broke in Hamel village[2].  We had not a spare so repaired it as best as we could.  It served the journey.  We did about 30kls today.

31 Saturday

We had reveille 5am, moved off at 8am arriving Molliens-au-Bois 9.10am.  a 3kl ride.  Piqueted horses on the road and did not get billets until 3pm.  Weather was same as yesterday.  Grooming and harnesses remainder of the day.  Got to bed about 9pm.

Notes:

[1] Juerrieux=not on modern map

[2] Probably le Hamel