Wet cold & very windy day, awful, I get up about 9.0am but can’t go about as its too bad. See DAWKINS, CRISP, PATTERSON & a lot of my old boys, very quiet day but I enjoy it. Fine at night. Good sleep.
Aug 27 BLAIREVILLE
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Aug 26
Fine morning we leave camp at 10.30am for the sports, go by light railway from Arras Stn arriving at ACHIET-LE-GRAND about 2.30pm rotten journey, good attendance at sports.
P138
Sports. 255 entries for the 100x. CLIFFORD & WHITEHOUSE both win heats. CLIFFORD beaten in 2nd round. WHITEHOUSE keeps in but beaten in final, he got a very bad start. We win the 1 mile relay. HACK ½ mile, CLIFFORD ¼ mile Lt MASON & WHITEHOUSE 220x each good race. HACK ran excellent. SHEPPARD ran a bad mile & got 6th he left things too long? Went with Capt STEVENS in a car to visit 2nd Bttn he was going to join 9th Devons as 2nd in command. He put me down at Ransart & I walked to Blaireville got wet through in legs & feet, very heavy storm, see Fred REEVES & he puts me up alright. Good night.
Aug 25 St. CATHERINE
Fine morning, strong wind. I give the runners another good doing, go up to camp at night & have a straight talk with the Adjt [Adjutant] about my leave.
Aug 24 St. CATHERINE
Fine morning very strong wind. I give the runners a good doing, morning & afternoon, visit Bttn at night & see SM DENTON, learn that QMS FRAZER has got a months leave, very fair, I don’t think. Sgt MANN from Hospt.
Aug 23 St. CATHERINE
Fine morning I visit Bttn but am sent back again to look after runners. Good afternoons work. Write at night to L. Rather heavy shower about 9.30pm. CSM LYON gets his commission & goes to 14th Bttn.
Aug 22
9.30am Parade ready to march to stn arriving there about 10.15am. Train leaves 11.0am. Very comfy 1st Class. Arrive ARRAS 5.25pm & get back alright but tired & weary. Good sleep.
Aug 21 EN ROUTE
Arrive London 3.50 am & go by motor from Waterloo to Victoria. Leave Victoria by 1st train about 6.20 am have a good ride down & arrive Folkestone about 8.15 am. Embark straight on boat. Nice boat, Mailsteamer. Leave about 10.30 am very good journey. Arrive Boulogne about 12.00 noon. Find Monkey who is quite alright then have dinner very good at the Franco-Italian café & proceed to Camp. Get a drink & write up my diary. Meet J STAPLER & have a nice time with him, he gets me a good bed & I have a nice sleep.
Aug 20 HOME
Lovely day. Last day all too soon. We go for a nice run round in the morning & then down to Nells in afternoon. Have tea very nice indeed & return home about 5.30 pm. See J ATTWOOL at night. Get ready to start back & leave by cab at 8.30 pm. Leave Portland 9.2pm Lize & girls to see me off, no good parting, it’s very hard but I have had a very good time. See Mother in Weymouth for a few minutes & leave by 9.50 train for London. Snatch a taste of preserve about 7.30 but too rapid.
Aug 19 HOME
Nice morning. I take the girls to church in the morning & then for a walk, out with L in afternoon very nice & then with L to church at night, visit Uncle H after church, very nice time.
P 137
Church in morning with Dorothy & Lena also at night with my dear wife
Aug 18 HOME
Very wet early morning fine later & nice day. I go to Weymouth in morning see Sgt MARSHALL A.I.F. go down Church Ope in afternoon out with L at night. Very nice.