Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Harry Pidcock Mason war diary, France, August - October 1916
MLMSS 74/Item 4

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[Previous page duplicate]

Diary of Harry Pidcock Mason
1916

Monday August 14th –
After breakfast twenty of our ambulance I included were warned to parade with full packs in marching order, what’s going to happen now thought I however most of us were picked from the tent division.

Ambulance motor cars were brought round which we boarded and were taken away and after an hours journey we found ourselves landed at No 3 C.C.S. staffed by B.E.F. & we were evidently sent there as auxilliaries it is close to a hamlet called [“Ponchvilliers"?] the railway runs by & takes all the patients to the Base hospitals as they are evacuated.

This C.C.S. is very commodious and is capable of holding four to five hundred patients and is all under canvas run by the R.A.M.C. We were paraded and allotted duties on on our arrival as stretcher bearers and unloaders

Tuesday 15th
Our duties are as the cars arrives from the Main & advanced dressing stations with stretcher cases to unload and take them to the receiving tent where

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they are recorded and admitted and afterwards distributed to the various wards according to the nature of the cases. We are taking in from 3 to 400 dailey straight from the battlefield via the A.D.S. both stretcher cases & walking wounded.

Wed Aug 16th
Still on the same duties with a slight alteration, four of us were put to sort of undertakers & buriel party at the morgue where there were generally 4 to 6 dead Soldiers laying & our duty was to place them in coffins screw them down, load them into a motor lorry follow them to the cemetery unload & return with the Union Jacks & perhaps for another buriel.

At 2 pm the evacuation took place that is we closed up for receiving patients an hospital train arrived and we conveyed all the patients to & loaded them on the train the work is hard and rapid as we had the train loaded in about four hours & to make matters worse it rained

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August

and we and also the patients got pretty well wet through

Aug Thursday 17th
Unloading & bearing among the patients who had just arrived who should I meet but a friend from Daylesford J Freeman (who since died) he though a walking case was wounded in the head. I had a long talk to him & he was quite pleased to meet one he knew. I also met another I knew on the Demothenes.

In the evening I went into the village to see what was to be seen & as usual with all these villages it was full of soldiers who were billeted there. There seem to be no shops nor estaminets & the villagers real peasentry. The rail Station yard is stacked with ammunition & shells from 15 in down. The lorries load them and take them up to the artillary, it is a great sight to see them.

Friday Aug 18th
Still on same duties, and there are a great number of casualties still comming in who were in the

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trenches only four hours ago others about 10 or fifteen hours ago & it thus shows how prompt the dispatch is at the actual front for the distance from this C.C.S. to the trenches would be roughly from 25 to 30 miles & there is the advanced dressing post & the A.D.S. to go through before reaching this station

The staff here numbers about two hundred & fifty & the CCS that adjoins & releives this one has about the same number on their staff.

At 1 oclock we closed the station to incoming wounded and started to conduct the evacuation & placed roughly four hundred casualties on the hospital train consisting of sitting and stretcher cases the rain comming down in heavy showers all the time.

Saturday July 19th
Having again opened the Station to receive the casualties while the other station to closed up to evacuate their wounded to another hospital train I with the others went on to

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my old job of loading.

A few words apropos the British Hospital trains, they are very beautifully & comfortably fitted up & carry about seven hundred patients when fully loaded. They are of the “Bogy" pattern & connected for communication from one end of the train to the other, each carriage takes thirty six stretcher cases on provided bunks in 3 tiers lengthways each side of the carriage, the train is fitted up with a Kitchen, despensary & all other confeniences & is fitted throughout with eletric heaters & fans & alltogether are much superior to the French trains.

It occupied the space of four hours to load our wounded into the train yesterday.

Sun Aug 20th
Still occupied in unloading stretcher cases from the motor cars as they arrive here.

In the afternoon we closed up again & evacuated to a train a very beautiful one called after the doner “The Princess Christain hospital train a very handsome gift.

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We sent away about four hundred mostly Stretcher cases.

The weather is showery.

We Australial have a marquee to ourselves to sleep in & make ourselves as snug as we can under the circumstances.

I met one of my old mates named Colosky who had been transferred from our ambulance some time ago he was going through with a weak heart we were very glad to meet & had quite an interesting parly.

Mon. Aug. 21st
We received wounded up till 10 am (going all night when we were releived by the 44th, the adjoining C.C.S through the night four of our patients died.

The day with us was quiet, and to our surprise at 7 p.m. we got orders to pack our kits and fall in when a motor lorry came up & took us aboard & convened us back to our H.Q. Badencourt where we slept for the night under trees or anywhere and were warned to be ready to move off at 7 in the morning

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1916

Tues. Aug 22nd
Under the trees we reposed there.

Rose at 6.30 a.m. breakfast after wich we fall in on parade & then up came three ambulance motors which we (when I say we there were I think twelve or sixteen of us mostly those who had returned from the CCS).

After boarding the cars under Major Brown quite a fresh officer who did’nt belong to the 6 we moved of Lord knows where all I know is we coursed East. I humerously wondered if we were going to take Berlin however we all seemed to thoroughly to enjoy the situation, at 11 a.m. we are still going and are in the vicinity of Albert but we seem to be adrift, lost & we have made several haults & retraced part of our journey & then again into Albert & among the trenches & eventually pull up on the camping areas on the edge of Albert, here, we have orders to remain & Bivouac and find out that we are to establish an intermeadite dressing station

This locality is full of life different units arriving & camping preparity to going into battle.

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1916

Wed. Aug 23rd
We are surrounded with guns of all calibres keeping up a constant artillery fire & under the conditions we had a sleepless night

After breakfast we have orders to stand by & not leave our quarters, however after an hour nothing eventuates and we are all appointed as sanitary police to the camping areas and to see that all rubbish is burned and buried as the various units leave the grounds.

At 4 p.m. we receive orders to fall in, the cars having left we were marched off towards Albert [indecipherable] and arrived at an old foundry where we were quartered & there established a dressing station, guns are dischargeing every were here & shells arriving from Fritz per air route.

I risked a walk up the town & found it sadly smashed up since being here last.

Thurs Aug 24th
No sleep on a/c of big rats & big guns like an inferno & the rodents revilled in it like the devils pets we are doing no duty but waiting

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orders as to our movements.

A party of the 7th FA have also arrived here & like ourselves are waiting developments.

About 30 yards away there is a 12 in pea shooter going off about every 15 minutes & when he fires we experience an earthquake & being in the upper story we expect to come flop to terra firma with any of these reports from this infant. I thought I would go & see it fire & the 12 in shell could be plainly traced through the air for half the distance.

Friday 25th Aug
Our artillary friend still distracts us, however we got some fatigue to do that releived us of waiting for the next crashing report of the gun in the afternoon.

All hands are making splints & getting bandages ready as we expect an overflow rush through the night as there is a battle in progress.

We finished about 8.30 pm & then retired with the rats but at 10 that night we were all called out & told to get dressed and ready to move (only us not the 7th

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Saturdy Aug 26th
We got into the motor cars & moved off & after ¾ of an hour found ourselves at Beacourt 11.30 p.m. were we were conducted to our bedours half a roof over us & a brick & stone floor what luxury no blankets

Sat Aug 26th
Up at 7.30. breakfast of bacon etc nothing in the way of duty doing.

I took a walk out towards the line of trenches a vast mass of shell holes being constantly played on by shells from the enemy. On returning we were given duty unloading and carrying the patients into the dressing room.

There are a good number of casualties comming in but fortunately not many deaths. Our bearers (6th) have just returned from the trenches (being releived) and look a sorry lot with about an inch of beard.

We have just received orders to leave for our H.Q. in cars & arrived at noon Badencourt to take up duties there.

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Sun Aug. 27th
Revalli at 6.30 am & duties allotted.

I am put to guard a German prisoner I am so pleased he is a casualty walking wounded he cannot talk English & is massive. Another one has just come in & I have to keep one eye on each.

This place is a prewar chateau owned by a Parisian banker and is now used as a dressing station there about 100 rooms & it is built on 3 sides of a square with a beautiful garden of roses in the square & a massive iron rail & gates on the frong & acres of beautiful grounds at the rear.

My prisoners moved on & I am put into the dressing room as dresser (6 of us) & 3 shifts 8 hours on & 16 off we dress and bandage the wounded as they come in from the front but only walking cases.

Mon Aug 28th
Pack room duty today receiving patients & checking thier packs.
Patients are comming in more

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plentiful .

The weather is fine & sunny. Took a walk to Contay a village adjoining this as at all others it is full of troops

Tues Aug 29th
On same duties.

Weather broken up with heavy thunder storms recd letters from Australia.

The casualties are still comming in freely some cases very distressing as shell shock & all unrecognisable with mud & clay.

I met some old acquaintances of the “Demothsenes" who were among the wounded they were quite glad to see one.

The Canadians have arrived here & are releiving us the 2nd divisions & their A M C are staying here for the night a hardy looking lot & speak French mostly.

Wed Aug 20th
Duties as usual, letter from C (20/4/16)

News to hand that Roumania has entered the war had a cheering effect & we hope will tend to hastend the end. The cheif topic of conversation with is seem to be discussions on the general situation

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in Europe also our local front & great interest is displayed as to the fate of Theipville which we are trying to capture also Moquet farm both of which are almost inpregnable strongholds.

All sorts of roumers (or Furphies as we call them) come in one being a great navel battle.

Thur. Aug 31st
Today we are releived by the Canadian Field Amb and are preparing to take our departure.

The bearers returned from the trenches to day who looked war warn & weary and showed evidences of hardship & hard work, they had carries of a mile & a half as stretches from the dressing Residential aid post to the first aid post & worked in 24 hour shifts, being under shell fire all the time. Four of them had been wounded on this occasion one died. There were 3 shellshock.

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1916

Fri Sep 1st
To day we are releived by the Canadian A.M.C. and are preparing to take our departure. We handed in all blankets & are paraded in marching order and are awaiting orders to move off.

I have a gathering in my ear through having a cold, weather is again fine we slept under the trees at back of chateau, we are warned to move off in the morning.

Saturday Sep 2nd
Did not move off to day filling in the time cleaning up the camp & billets.

Sun Sep 3rd
Paraded at 6 a.m.

After breakfast marched off at 10 beginning with a number of haults through the congestion of traffic on the road.

We passed through Ponchvillers also Toutencourt and arrived in a hamlet called Orville which proved to be our destination where we went into an orchard & pitched camp putting up bell tents. The rain comming down heavy the

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while we slept 14 to a tent.

There is also a village adjoining this one called [“Ampeliers"?] & we are five kilos from a large town called Doullins.

Mon Sep 4th
To day we are resting but a few break into parties & do a bit of exploring in the village & find something good to eat & drink.

We are standing by to continue our march.

Tues Sept 5th
We still camp here & fill in the time visiting the people & making things agreeable.

We very likely move off at midnight.

Fri Sep 5th
Still waiting orders to move.

I went with others to get a bath but we were unfortunate as they were not ready.

The guns are very active here & can also be heard at Yepres.

I in Waratah camp I omitted to write that on Wednesday.

We left Orville at 2 in the morning & moved off in full marching order and reached Doullins R.S. after a five kilo march we had hot coffee at 5 am awaited & boarded a train 12 m [a bon?] we moved off arriving

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at a station near Hasebrouk, detrained and after waiting an hour marched off crossing the Belgium frontier in about 5 kilos then after another ten kilos a weary march we arrived at a Rest Station called Waratah Camp & a mile & a half from a large town called Poperinghe here we are waiting for orders what to do

Thursday Sep 7
We are still here waiting & resting.

I went in to have a look at Poperinghe it has good streets & churches & is the town of a corner of Belgium that the Germans did not get through not being able to pass Ypress which is about 6 miles E from here so the enemy is content with firing as many shells as he can into Poperinghe not by any means a healthy place.

On returning to the camp I lost my way & was just in time for 2 oclock parade. While In P I got a dinner of nice cutlets (veal) quite a treat

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Fri. Sept 8th
We still wait here for orders.

We went on a bathing parade to a baths run by the 7 FA but on arriving there we found they were not ready.

I think we will take over this Rest Station.

There is much artillary work going on here & many areoplanes of our own also Fritzs.

Satur. Sep 9
Still resting doing what we like.

In describing this camp it is large there are two rows of low huts for the staff holding 20 men each. There are six large wards huts for the patients cook houses wash houses receiving huts all very convenient & built at right angles

We are on the corner of the Yepres E & W & the Poperinghe Road N & S rather an importent centre where there is also extablished a corps ration dump also a store & restaurant run by two little Belgium girls & there mother so that we are well catered for, there is also a large recreation ground for football & cricket.

What is happening to us we are sent here for a rest.

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Sun Sep 10th
We are still living at our leisure doing as we like.

There is also part of the 7th FA with us.

I tried to see the Popge church but they were all locked up owing to the constant shelling but there are many nice shops here & everything is cheaper and better than in France, beer is far superior also cigars & other things. There is also some beautiful lace things to be had.

Mon Sep 11th
To day we take over the rest Station & start duties. I am detailed to one of the wards. The 7th are carrying on in conjunction with us.

In the afternoon a football match was played between the 6th & 7th 7 AS but we beat them out of sight.

Weather fine but inclined to be foggy & chilly, the ground here is very low lying all roads ligned with deep ditches.

Tues Sep 12th
We are getting well into our duties.

I got half days leave to go to the town, however I did not go as a headache came on, as I have lost a lens out of my

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glasses. I applied to the MO to go to the opthalmic station & get a pair. I leave for there to morrow at Haselbrouck to be treated.

Wed Sep 13th
Head still bad.

Myself & others paraded & left here at 12.30 for Hasebrouck by train arriving at 2 pm. After introductory formalities we were left to our own sweet will so I and another took a stroll up the town to see what it was like.

To us it is a little city. I should say about the size of Geelong & is in Flanders. The class of shops are better. There is also a fine cathedral. The people are well dressed & as usual there are troops everywhere.

Thurs Sep 14th
At the eye hospital we were provided with bell tents and blankets & fed of course. There was not much chance of sleep as beer arguments were rife.

We rose at 7 handed in our blankets and paraded for breakfast in a large hall which

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which was previously a large lace factory. This room is 300 x 150 ft & filled with looms and other machinery.

During the day I had to present my eyes for examination which will not finish to day.

Fri Sept 15
I again go up on the eye parade & in afternoon went through the city.

There are many handsome buildings & a large open square in the centre as is usual in all French & Flemish towns. About 10 acres in extent where the [indecipherable] & councils are established & all the other main buildings are.

I was supplied with glasses and left in the evening for home. The weather is showery. Recd letters from Paris.

Sat Sep 16
The 7th F.A. left us to day to take over another station.

We are losing our OC Leiut Col [Fergasse?] Stewart who is being transferred to another unit and our new OC

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is Leiut Col Mosley a very smart and practical man who introduced himself to us by giving us a lecture & drilled us in the new gas helmet drill. He has made a good impression with us.

The weather is getting cold & wintery.

Sunday Sep 17
Usual duties.

The heavy guns were very active along the line last night.

A Football match to day. In the evening there was a church parade, the first we’ve had in France so we marched to Poperinghe to a hall “Talbot House" Cap Clayton was the Chaplin of the high church order.

It again rains at 10 p.m.

Monday Sep 1
Raining heavily thro the night & morning the hut leaking badly.

Guns firing incessently.

Tuesday Sep 19
Weather still very wet.

Same duties in wards the ground sloppy & muddy.

Wednesday Sep 20th
Nothing unusual happening, weather clearing, heavy firing.

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1916

Thur Sep 21st
Still on same duties, we have about 150 patients sick. French flu & boils etc also influenza.

I & another went into Popge in after noon & had a good look round. The people look rough & coarse. Went to a picture show in the evening.

Fri Sep 22nd
Got a half day off and again went into town & found a shop run by Crosse & Blackwell where tinned goods of every description could be obtained from a rump steak to partridge. I invested in a tin of Pork sausages & took it to a resturent & had it warmed. Found them a great relish.

Sat Sep 23rd
Nothing unusual in morning life seems rather flat.

I have many games of chess & Solo whist with the boys. A football match took place in the afternoon between two ambulances which resulted in a conquest by our team.

Flying machines are plentiful.

We had gas helmet drill by our new O.C. he is very keen on this & it seems probable he is preparing us for action

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Sunday Sep 24
We are having sports on the grounds to day & the weather has fined up for the occasion. They start at 1 oclock & there many events such as throwing the cricket ball, kicking the fball, foot, obsticle & relay races & all brought of with great dispatch. No time wasted as in Australian sports so the time does not drag.

The new OC had charge & had a good chance to show off his smartness. Then we also had a dress parade. Review order.

Monday Sep 25th
Things again normal

2 German Fokkers sailed overhead on observation but got a very warm reception being peppered by Antiaircraft guns.

Weather is keeping very fine but inclined to be close and oppressive.

There was another football match this afternoon. I did not go.

Tuesday Sep 26
Air craft very plentiful and much firing at them with the a.a. guns. There was also a battle in the air & our plains persued the enemy over the lines.

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Wednes Sep 27th
This day was eventual.

At 8.15 a.m. we were paraded in full review order as we are to be reviewed by Gen Birdwood who arrived punctually at 9 in his car. After reviewing & addressing us he decorated 3 of our boys with the Military Medal. Who should come with him but Andy Fisher the X Premier who stood there like a dummy & spoke not a word.

The General reminded us that we would have many trench feet to deal with. After the address he visited the wards then departed.

This evening there was an interesting & exciting 20 minutes. An observation baloon broke loos and after drifting in the sky some [indecipherable] towards the enemy lines. We not being able to recover it. Some of our planes came on the scene & hovered over it just like birds & almost before we wondered what they were going to do a tongue of flame shot up out of the baloon

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then she was a mass of flames & distruction and dropped lifeless to the earth. Our planes had destroyed it to prevent it falling into the hands of Fritz. That is the second event I’ve seen.

Thursday Sep 28th
A quiet day weather still fine.

Went to the village of Reninghulst about 4 kilos S & saw a picture show by the Y.M.C.A.

Friday Sep 29th
Things normal, weather fine.

Patients getting benefit of their treatment & rest mostly all from our (the 6th Brigade).

There is heavy gun work going on.

Saturday 30th Sep
Nothing particular doing just the same routine work. Went into Pge on corp duties.

Weather still nice & warm.

Sun 1 October
Usual duties. B Sect went on a bathing parade.Things quiet at the front.

Mon Oct 2nd
Weather breaking up towards winter. Everything very quiet not many planes about.

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Tues Oct 3rd
Nothing doing in particular.

All the wards are full of patients some with trench feet. This is brought on by constant standing in the wet trenches, the feet swell up like cushions & blue spots appear on them and the complaint comes back. Every winter they are treated by being rubbed with oil & linament and wrapped in wadding which gives releif.

Wed Oct 4th
A Soccer match was played on our grounds to day. This is a perfectly round football witch must not be touched with the hands as in the Association game.

Thur Oct 5th
Rain is falling and the ground very sloppy.

A rugby match was played here this afternoon.

I went to a show in Popge this evening given by a Perriot Coy of Tommies from one of the English regiments. The entertainment was excellent.

Weather threatening.

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Fri Oct 6th
Weather improving.

I have been playing chess nearly all day. Received two letters from C 3 from Paris 1 from [Rev Ctgn?]

Sat Oct 7th
Usual duties.

We are feeling the benefit of the rest here. I played some more chess.

In the evening 2 of us walked to Reninghulst for a change of scene also went to the pictures there.

Sun Oct 18th
Day broke beautifully fine took a walk in afternoon towards Ypres some of our bearers are up there.

Mon Oct 19
Routine duties, in the afternoon I went into Pge to make some purchases.

There are rumours that we will be leaving here for where I do not know but will be glad of a change.

Tues Oct 20
Fine weather but everything very flat.

Some of our ambulance were detailed to work on a dump not far off.

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Wed Oct 11th
All very tranquil at the front tho there are gun flashes to be seen in the direction of Ypres but we could not hear the reports.

Thur Oct 12th
Another quiet day.

No more heard about us leaving yet.

Football match this afternoon.

Fri Oct 13th
Same old routine.

Weather fine, mail to day, letter & photo from Paris.

Sat Oct 14th
Things as usual.

In the afternoon a football match was played here between the 2nd D.A.C. & ourselves we won.

Sun Oct 15th
Duties same.

In morning a church parade was held & we marched to an adjacent paddock where a drumhead service was held. Bishop Riley of the WA who is Chaplain General preached a very impressive adress

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he is on a visit to the trenches from Australia & was there to deliver a message from the people of Australia.

Mon Oct 16
This is Election day at the front & we are to record our vots as to wether there is to be conscription in Australia or not.

News is to hand that this is to be our last day here we are striking the tents & loading them on the waggons & are warned to parade in marching order in the morning. There is plenty of excitement & speculation.

Tues Oct 17
Revalli at 5 30, breakfast parade in marching order at 7 & at 7.30 our Col gave the order up packs, form fours, left turn, quick march and thus the ambulance moved off in colum of route.

We marched by the way of Reninghelst and reached the France-Belgium frontier at 12 pm. after a strenuous march where we halted for dinner.

It seemed interesting to be on the frontier. There were two armed guards.

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Being a bit green after the months rest we perspered somewhat freely and got blistered in the feet. After dinner we moved off again and passed through a town called [indecipherable] and reached another called Steenvoordt where we camped. We arrived at 4 pm.

Wed Oct 18th
On arriving last night we were all billeted in a long shed about 70 or 80 feet 2 of them here we made our shake downs on the floor. The roof by the way was a thatched one once & about 11 oclock the rain started to fall in full volume & the roof acted like a seive & such a pantomine amongst us 200 men there never was. Early in the evening I was fortunate enough to snare a stretcher in which to sleep in with the aid of my blanket but when the rain came it was like laying in a bath of four or five inches of water it continued

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to rain till early morn & sleep was out of the question as there was not a dry spot in the sheds & we may just as well slept out in the open.

At 6 a.m. we paraded and after roll call we had breakfast & then ordered to get ready to march before which there was a foot inspection. I had rather a bad blister under my great big toe. The M.O. ordered me to remain here with others who were in the same plight when we were to come on in one of the motor waggons.

Thur Oct 19th
We did not get away to day and are waiting here marooned as it were.

I and another slept at the Brigade Head Quarters in a room belonging to a monumental mason with tombstones strewed all round. In the morning we waited 3 hours when a G.S. Waggon came along and picked us up and we got away at 10.30 am. After climbing an elevation of about

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100 feet we arrived at an ancient and pretty town on the summit of the hill called “Cassell" here is the army head quarters leaving this we go through another village the I forget.

We eventually arrived at our destination and am again billeted with my unit in a barn with an estaminet next door. The night is very cold.

Friday. Oct 20th
A very heavy frost greeted us this morning and tickled us up properly.

I went to see the church here (about the only place of interest and wood carving in the interior was wonderful and the church dates back to 1260.

In the afternoon I visited a large British Aredrome not far away I believe it is the finest in France and there many of the latest types of largest planes ranging up to 300 hp. It is a busy scene as the machines are arriving and leaving constantly.

There are also 300 German prisoners of war here

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who are working [indecipherable] the drome which I should estimate is about 200 Acres in extent built on a slope and military buildings abound there including a complete photographic plant. The ground being on a gentle slope the machines glide off easily.

We are warned to fall in at 6.30 in the morning to be ready to move off.

Sat Oct 21st
Paraded roll called after which we were dismissed for breakfast then paraded in full marching order packs up. The morning was extremely cold but we soon warmed up.

We were camped adjacent to a small village called [indecipherable] and started ascending country till we reached a summet on the other side. We are rewarded with a most beautiful bit of scenery typically French on reaching the foot of the hill. We went pulled up for dinner along side a town called [indecipherable] beyond which

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are beautiful woods and cultivations extending as far as the eye can reach.

We pushed on till we reach a rural village at about 4.30 pm the name of the township is called [Nordenesque?] – here we camp and are distributed in various billets. I was in a party of 100 am alloted a large brick barn with plenty of clean straw which is recherche as we were a all tired, weary & [indecipherable].

Sunday Oct 22nd
We rise at 8 feeling refreshed with the sleep, but we are faced with an intense frost and the wind tho light is cutting.

Breakfast over R.S. & I go exploring & after one or two at the estaminet we find our way to the church as usual & stayed to Service & hear a very eloquent sermon.

On returning we find a mail has arrived & I am fortunate in getting a couple of letters 1 from C, 1 from A Leggo also 1 from Paris, these keep me occupied for the rest of the day especially that written in French.

We discover here

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that we are not a great way from Calais (15 miles) but we’ve no idea where we are bound for & there is heavy betting that we will cross the channel for another Zone.

I turn at 6 p.m. it is too cold to stay up.

Mon 23rd Oct.
We rested all day as we still seem to have some heavy marching ahead of us.

In afternoon walk over to a village a real ancient old place there we had some refreshment & a game of Billiards (French).

We are warned to be up at six in morning marching order ready to move off.

Tues 24 Oct
Morning broke with rain but we nevertheless move off about midday doing about 10 miles to a rather important railway Station called Ardrick. Here we entrain and after getting all our transport on the trucks we are alloted cattle trucks ourselves. 24 men to the truck at 6 p.m. we

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get away & pass through Calais Bologne & Etaples we arrive at [Pintern?] at 2 am in a drizzeling rain and all hands are ordered out to unload the waggons off the trucks and what a job it was. The mud in the station yard was well churned up like porrige & we had to work by [indecipherable] lights running our loaded carts down on skids from the rucks to the ground there being no platform.

Wed 25th Oct.
Riding in the train through the night was very rough as we all had to lay on the floor of the horse trucks early the rain was falling and the ground very sloppy while the darkness added to the inconveniences.

At 5 am after some hot coffee we fell in and moved off & marched 5 miles going through a village called [Balleucourt?] and stopped at [Mericourt?] where we are Billeted in Barns without Straw

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the weather is very showery and the roads wet & sloppy we are taken it all round having a miserable time.

The villages (for two are adjoining) the other being called [Montflere?] are small & poky the principal building is the usual village church.

Thur Oct 26th
We are called at 6.30 midst heavy rain had breakfast shouldered our packs, paraded for roll call & marched off in the heaviest rain I have seen in France. Our transport went on before.

After marching in the rain for six miles we were halted on the road side where we met our Brigade of 5000 men who were also halted on the road side. The rain by this had stopped & we proceed to have our dinner in the field “a la route" Biscuit & Bully beef then a convoy of 250 Motor Waggons covered in [indecipherable] in sight & pulled up at our door & these the brigade boarded 25 men to a waggon & after we and all

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our kits are in there is not room enough to squeese a pin in when all are loaded we move off going through many villages and towns but where we know not but I recognised one place [Piquiny?] where we cross the Somme.

We eventually arrive at 10 oclock at night at a town called [Ribmont?] which is about 6 miles from Albert where we leave the lorries & are paraded while the officers locate the alloted Billets for the ambulance the fun begins, some other unit has jumped our billit & we have no where to sleep but I slip away & find an upstairs loft filled with infantry so I jams in between a couple of them how the others fare I cannot tell.

Fri Oct 27th
A regular mix up & I am looking round for the members of our Ambulance, however we were all got together & made another hunt for our billits & are eventually dumped into a flour mill where we have

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the stables & lofts to sleep in. The stall 4 of us are in is very hard being paved with cobble stones also cold and draughty but we make ourselves as comfortable as we can under the circumstances.

The weather cold and rainy.

Am interested in this mill it driven by water power from a locked canal & the froggy millers very kindly show us all over it.

After dinner I walk up the town rather a large place with a B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Forces) Canteen where every thing can be bought by the troops from a needle to anchor.

In my wanderings I enter a place & procure a cup of coffee from a French madame and her very pretty daughter of sixteen with a bunch of dark Greecian curls. We get quite friendly & madame tells me her husband is fighting at the front & she comes here & opens a coffee room to be near him her home is in Paris hence I am bucked up with a spirit of contentment & intent to make this my rondevous.

The Town is full of Tommies

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Sat Oct 28th
Had a good nights rest the first for seven days & we are just resting nothing more. There is nothing as to our movements.

Had another look at the mill today it is worked by a horizental Turbine with a six foot fall of water.

This country tho somewhat flat is picturesque.

We pass the time playing cards yarning etc.

I went to see my little French madame & madamoselle & wrote some letters there.

Our transport landed here last night the weather is wet & cold.

Sun Oct 29th
The day again broke rainy and watery.

We are paid to day the first for a month.

Am writing to catch X mail.

Mon Oct 30th
Weather improving.

R.S. & myself walked 6 miles to a nice town called [Corly?] very ancient we found the church dated back to 640 AD a well built structure larger than St Pauls Melb also a monastry connected but it is used as

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an hospital (military). The town is full of French Soldiers & NZ troops who have just come out from the line.

After having a sumptuous meal of whiting & omlette with a bottle of wine to wash it down we returned arriving back at 10 p.m.

Tuesday Oct 31st
Weather now fine & bright I go out this morning to my French friends & she kindly allows me a special privilage to write my letters in her private room. I provided her with some of our cheese of which there is an over supply.

After dinner another and myself went for a jaunt in a GS Motor lorrey manned by West Indians we went for a few miles & arrived at a village which was full of our boys preparing to go into the lines. I was fortunate in meeting two acquantances in Leiut H [King?] & young Rochsteen both of Daylesford we had a good yarn.

I also met a couple of sisters the first I have seen in France so near the line they were garbed in oilers and Sou Westers.

Here ends this French diary.

[Transcribed by Sandra Mutton for the State Library of New South Wales]