Diary of Frederick William Gadsby Annand, 1916 - Part 9
OCTOBER, 1916
Thursday, 19
Took Poll on the
Australian Conscription
Referendum
Heavy rain
Infernally cold night
Friday, 20
Marched to WINNIEZEELE.
No billets provided. Dam bad staff
arrangements by 6th Bde & Major Evans
the area Commandant. A loafing
lot who don't care a dam except
for their own cold-footed comfort.
Eventually got the men pushed into
scattered tight file after dark.
OCTOBER, 1916
Saturday, 21
Stayed at WINNEZEELE
poor billets.
Sunday, 22
Marched to ARNEKE
Excellent billets -
nice country
OCTOBER, 1916
Monday, 23 Marched to BAYENGHEM
about 8 miles NW of St. OMER on the road
to Calais.
Passed through WATTEN en route
& saw number of 7th Fld Coy. Beautiful
views from hill east of Watten, looking
over great canal system.
Col. Bridges G.S.O. I saw us march past
on the road.
Took a short cut & saved about 4 miles
in defiance of orders.
Tuesday, 24
Bn stayed at Bayenghem.
Wertheim & I started to walk to St. Omer,
but were picked up by Col.
Sommerville & Major Arthur in car &
taken D H Q for lunch & then sent in
by are to St. Omer. Had hot bath &
bought pair big field boots & 2 ties at
ordnance. Retd. by car at night.
GOT LETTERS. 35 from NELL; 23 fr Doug:
Rob, Nell & Fred: Mr Byron, also cable; WC Irving:
Mrs. Blanchard: Geoff No. 30.
3 papers
Housewife for Nell.
OCTOBER, 1916
Wednesday, 25
Left Bayenghem at
2am & marched to ARQUES STN
arriving about 6.20 am &
entrained. Left by train at 8.10 am
Arrived at St. RIQUERT at 6 pm.
Marched to billets at
AILLY LA HAUT CLOCHER.
GOT LETTER No. 37
from NELL also fm ELSIE
Thursday, 26
Bn (Less transport)
left by 38 motor lorries at 1 pm
& arrived at BUIRE-SUR-L'ANORE
about 9 pm. Got into fair billets
Had supper of omelette & wine
Could get no tea or coffee owing
to lack of fuel (or better profit
on wine).
OCTOBER, 1916
Friday, 27
I have a touch of
gastritis. Stayed in bed at Buire.
Transport arrived. Did well by
going on their own.
Bn moved to A Camp on the
Albert Road.
Saturday, 28
I joined Bn at A camp
got letters No 38 fm NELL (37 missing)
31 from Geoff; also Rob. 2 pkts papers; R.E. Journal
(home) Allies Gazettes & Do without week from
magazine , parcel from J.B.T.
J.B. TIPPER, "Vernon", Kirribilli Point
N.S.W.
OCTOBER, 1916
Sunday, 29 Rode to D.H.Q. at
Ribemont & got orders to shift
out to forward area tomorrow
& work under Corps on roads.
Wrote to NELL No. 36
Sent P. Cards of St. Omer to
all the kids & Elsie
wrote to NELL No. 36
Monday, 30
Marched to rude
camp at South of LONGUEVAL
(remains). Dreadful trip. Torrents
of rain, feet of slush. No tea
or evening meal. Poor shelters, the
blanket waggons went astray & our
transport did not come up till
about 1.30 am. Miles of transport
hung up.
OCTOBER, 1916
Tuesday, 31
Getting camp into
a bit of order. Started men
draining road. The road is
in dreadful state.
Met Hancox
NOVEMBER, 1916
Wednesday. 1 Still on road work
Hancox lunched with us.
Bosche shells near our Home
lines & hit one our horses & a man of
another unit
Shelling nightmare at night.
Further shelling. Killed 5 our
horses & wounded three. 2 art men
camped near by wounded.
My horse shifted last thing abt.
15 yds away from pig where others killed.
Thursday, 2
Called at Hd Qrs of
5th and Pioneers in
Carlton Trench.
Men still on
Bernafay-Longueval road.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Friday, 3 Lt. Col. Carter C/O 5th
Pioneers called while I
out. In afternoon I called on
him & got statement of work
his Bn doing.
Inspected interior of one
of our TANKS.
Crowd of our planes & balloons
up. Bosche dropped two our
planes. Shelling of North and
Trones wood early afternoon.
Saturday, 4
Hockey & I inspected
portion of FISH TRENCH &
adjoining country. Saw several
dead Germans. Picked up part
of a 'tank shell'. Saw a tank
away forward.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Sunday, 5 A Coy worked forward
end of FISH ALLEY.
D Coy TURK TRENCH & GOOSE ALLEY
C - Frontline
B - Mule track & duckboard track
Sent remittance home
No. 5 of £20 (£10 for
Mrs. Stanley).
Monday, 6
WROTE TO NELL No. 37
Sergt Mills called
Bosche aircraft bombed our
camp & then blew up a big
amun. dump away in rear.
Man died in his shelter - heart
failure.
Wrote to Geoff & Rob.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Sent Chocolates to NELLIE
Tuesday, 7 wrote to Geoff & Rob
Wednesday, 8 WROTE TO NELL
No. 38
More shelling of our transport.
One waggon lifted & horse
knocked over but not apparently hurt.
Planes bombing close to camp.
Night party on tram line
Lt. Armstrong called
sent cards to all the kids, Mc Bage,
Gertie, Lil & Doug.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Wrote Mrs. Tipper & Mother
Thursday, 9 C.R.E. called
Started above tram line to
Factory corner.
More planes bombed
our camp. Incendiary bomb
fell 3 ft from side my hut & other
abt. 15 yds away.
Melo very frightened.
Friday, 10 Hockly & I went over the
tram route. Saw two
planes brought down: one
in flames.
More bombing of our camp
area by planes in the
moonlight.
NOVEMBER, 1916
GOT LETTERS No. 39 &
Saturday, 11 39A fr NELL. Doug 23
Geoff 32, Jean; Bob, Mrs. Whitehill,
Mrs. Coulton;
Sunday, 12
B Coy digging new
C T & improving jumping off
trench in left Bde area.
Much shelling of transport area &
Bernafoy Wood.
Wrote to Mr Irving.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Monday, 13 Ordinary -
Sent B Coy up to Turk Trench to
be ready for attack in the morning.
A Coy to remain in camp &
start up at about midnight.
Tuesday, 14 A Coy followed attack
by 25th Bn west of the maze & dig new
C.T. to new line. Got it hot from machine gun
about the maze. Sergt. Marshill knocked out two
Bosche MG's with his Lewis. Landen shot a
mobile gunner & captured his gun, Capt. Taylor
seriously wounded early, Landen carried through
Lt. Walker also hit. A Coy all told 50 casualties incl.
Sergt. Stan Coulton severely wounded.
B Coy could not do their job. Had 21 casualties
incl. Lt McClosky seriously neck & leg.
GOT LETTERS No. 43 from NELL & an
Bal sheet & note fr Mitchell.
3 of Nell's missing.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Wednesday, 15 Went up to an Div Hd Qrs
enquire into situation & see if any work
opened for us at night.
While riding back to camp H.E. got me on
the road near LONGUEVAL tanks. Got piece in
shoulder, bit on small of back, 8 or 10 stitches
on head & numerous bruises. Cap carried
away by flying log. My orderlie Gillies
badly wounded in foot. His horse blown
to pieces. My Jinnie' had hole in rear
rump 12" X 4" X 3". Doc dressed me, then
Dressing station. Arrived Fld Amb, Becourdel at
9. Met Ryan Belling, there went CCS at HEILLY
& again dressed. Bed at 11.30 pm
Arranged Hockey to cable home slightly wounded.
[*'Shell killed 3 & wounded 11'*]
Thursday, 16
Left at noon in Red X
train 'Queen Mary' &
arrived at No. 2 Red Cross Hosp, BOULOGNE
about 2 am. Good journey.
Dear old Geoff's birthday. Hope
he got my cable. Wonder what
he would think if he knew where
his Dad was spending the day.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Friday, 17
Hospital Dr. examined
me & ordered a radio graph.
Was put under X Ray in afternoon.
Heard Taylor, Walker & McCloskey
are in this hospital.
Saturday, 18 Major Smith of Sydney
called & left cable cards.
Told G Major Warren that
my 'picture' showed fragment of
shell in my shoulder, but that he
would not operate, hoping it would
work out. Would send me to England.
Not sorry at prospect of a short
spell in Blightly.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Left Boulogne in
Sunday, 19 early afternoon in an
ambulance train. Arrived at HAVRE
about 9 pm. No boat being in were
taken to officers hunt & put into
comfortable beds.
Monday, 20
About 8 am placed on
board HMHT ASTURIAS at about 3 pm
we sailed from HAVRE. Half a gale blowing
many sick, including me. Arrived off Netley
Hospital sometime during the night.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Tuesday, 21 Put into Southhampton
Left by train about 3.30. Pretty journey.
Passed through Reading & Slough & arrived
at LONDON about 5.30. Taken in an
ambulance in charge of Major Pearson
to No 3 Genl. Hosp. Wardsworth, London
Wednesday, 22
Queen Amelie of Portugal dressed my
wound.
Col. & Mrs. Ferguson cabled.
NOVEMBER, 1916
Thursday, 23
Revd. LEE, Congr. Minister called
was X Rayed again after the
surgeon had examined me.
Got Cap & shirt from Berkely's
Friday, 24 Measured by Berkely's man
for new uniform outfit.
Best quality jacket all rounds to be 5 -5-0
Slacks " " 1-18-6
WROTE TO NELL No. 39
NOVEMBER, 1916
Saturday, 25
Afternoon concert
in Recn Room
Sunday, 26
Attended church
service
Col. Wisham called.
Jen This transcription item is now locked to you for editing. To release the lock either Save your changes or Cancel.
This lock will be automatically released after 60 minutes of inactivity.