Diary of Frederick William Gadsby Annand, 1917 - Part 6
SEPTEMBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 16th. Conferred C.R.E. re
stunt. D practically finished
duck board track to Gordon House
CRE C.T asked them to carry it on a bit
tomorrow.
2 O R wounded {one our AA/ Lewis guns
{ brought down a Hun plane
MONDAY 17th.
D Coy carried on extension of
Duckwalk east of Gordon House
1 OR wd 1 OR acc wd.
TUESDAY 18th.
Lt T Smith & 11 OR wounded,
all of C Coy, & 1 O.R killed
A Coy finished xxx loop plank
road N.W. of Bier Cross Rd.
436 yds
D Coy commenced camouflage
of School Gordon House track
Padre & I visited Poperinghe & Bossebaum
WEDNESDAY 19th.
Casting R.E. material for roads &c
Finished 1350x Road formation.
Finished culverts, & helped planking
Repaired new road where damaged.
Sent out maintenance party for roads & tramway
East of Biar X Roads,
Major Hockley dangerously wounded at Hd Qrs.
Lieut. Furnell badly wounded; died at Fld Amb.
7 O.R. wd & evacuated; 1 O.R. wd with unit.
1 O.R killed. Got operation order. Went to
D.H.Q. Got Maj Donnelly as 2nd in Command
SEPTEMBER, 1917.
THURSDAY 20th.
Big attack on a wide front; successful :
all objectives gained. Our Bn worked
at maintenance of new roads & ran a
mule track from between lake &
Bellewaarde Ridge to Westhoek
Major Hockley died of wounds.
7 O R Killed. 10 OR wounded, 2 OR wd unit.
Our L. G. shot down many planes
Saw 6 observers jump from balloons.
FRIDAY 21st.
Road from Bellewaarde Ridge to Westhoek
widened & improved; some planking &c on
soft spots. Several guns taken up to the
Westhoek ridge during night over this
road. Some rails carted for tramways.
3 O.R. wounded.
Major Hockley buried between Poperinghe &
Abeel, Fritz fired baloons over our
Hd qrs: observers jumped in parasols. Lots of
bombing in evening.
SATURDAY 22nd
Donnelly & I visited the road being made to
Westhoek & looked over the ridge, got a few close
shells. Heavy shelling of Bellewaarde Lake, South &
Menin Rd forenoon: our plank road afternoon.
a B & D Comys on improvement of Westhoek
Roads, C Company carting fissures &
decauville track. Heard Lieut Waraker Killed
1 O.R killed. 2 O.R wounded; 1 O.R. gassed.
GOT LETTERS NELL 95; Nellie, Fred
Hanin& Westaney's.
SEPTEMBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 23rd.
Lt. Kitchen evacuated sick. WROTE NELL
C.Coy started train from Bellewaarde Rd
Berd to Westhoek.
MONDAY 24th.
50 Finger stalls recd. Melb
Finished up on road to Westhoek.
B. Coy started on emplacements &c
for Corps Heavy artillery.
1 OR killed. 1 OR wounded.
TUESDAY 25th
Maintaining Bellewaarde circuit; also
continuing planting of that circuit.
Heavy shelling about Horge &
Chateau Wood.
C Coy finished tram from Berd
to 100 yds W of Westhoek.
Genl. Birdwood called our Hd Qrs
1 OR Killed, 2 OR died of w, 9 OR wd, 2 OR
missing.
WEDNESDAY 26th.
Concentrating on Bellewaarde Circuit Rd.
Planking it. Transport could not get up
at night with material owing to traffic
congestion.
Planked 60 yds of Westhoek Rd at the
Bellewaarde Ridge.
Our C G reports bringing down 3 planes
I took horses to D.H.Q.
1 OR wounded
SEPTEMBER, 1917.
THURSDAY 27th
Bellewaarde Circuit road finished at about
4 p.m. Not long after was blown out in parts &
took 3 hrs to repair by patrols. Our own waggons had
to help out with carting. Part in two loops.
Unconfirmed report our Lewis guns shot down three
more enemy planes.
Lot of enemy bombing at night over areas
New baths opened; great success.
1 OR killed.
FRIDAY 28th
GOT LETTERS No. 98 NELL ( 2oM)
60 Geoff, Nellie, Doug, Jean, Mrs Whitehill
Budge.
2 sidings Bellewaarde Rd completed.
SATURDAY 29th
Pair socks from Peggy R & washer from Joan.
Heavy shelling of Bellewaarde Circuit Road.
Badly broken in parts. Transport wrecked. Put 2
platoons of D coy to reinforce A Coy on maintenance
patrol. Road blocked for 3 hours. Lt. Taylor & his
platoon called for drinks at comfort stall on
Menin Rd & aerial bomb fell among them.
Lt. Taylor & 6 men killed outright & 9 wounded,
mostly very severely.
Day's total 1 of & 6 OR killed; 1 OR died of wounds;
1 OR gassed; 1 OR missing.
SEPT.-OCTOBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 30th.
New Road from west Bellewaarde Road over
Westhoek Rd North of kit & that improved. D
mule tracks made from Cambridge Road
to Westhoek Rd north and Bellewaarde Ridge.
C Coy. Camp bombed at night 7 OR wd
& evac. 2 OR wd with unit. My horse Darky
killed. 56th Bn camped us.
MONDAY 1st.
OCTOBER.
GOT LETTERS NELL 96 & 97, Doris, Jean,
Elsie, Mrs. Taylor, Uncle Boilean
A Coy extending dry
weather track from near KIT KAT over
WESTHOEK RIDGE to beyond SANS SOUCI.
C Coy remade road from South of ANZAC.
to 80 yds NE of GARTER POINT. A & D Coys
maintaining & improving roads.
1 OR (Lewis gunner on AA) killed.
Tolley called.
TUESDAY 2nd
WROTE NELL No. 68
Zonnebeke road carried to 500 yds
from Brick Kiln.
Dry weather track to St Josephs Int.
Both would take Fld Guns.
Major McCrae 2nd in Cd, 4th Pioneers
& Capt. Graham killed by bomb. McCrae
was in Sydney 2nd in Cd. 7th Fld Coy.
WEDNESDAY 3rd.
Main road to ZONNEBEKE - BRICK KILN
opened up for guns, also via DW to St Joseph's
improved. Fascines carted.
1 OR Killed; 4 OR wounded; 1 offr wd unit,
1 OR missing.
From 22 Sept to date 20 O.R from hosp & 3
offs joined in Small Parties.
Lieut. Wills special mention in 1st Anzac
R. O's for special services. 3-10-17
OCTOBER, 1917.
4 th GOT LETTERS Elsie, Jean & note
Nell; Harriet Gregory, Kip Matthews, Mrs.
Coupland
THURSDAY 4th.
Big advance by our (1st Anzac) Corps & 2nd
Anzac on our left, objectives gained. Lot of emy
killed & prisoners. Took ridges.
D. Coy dug mule track around ZONNEBEKE
LAKE to Gasometer on ZONNEBEKE-BROODSEINDE Rd.
Others improving roads & maintaining.
A Coy made three tracks for Batteries,
totalling 450 yds.
FRIDAY 5th
Maintaining forward roads & preparing
for planting.
1 OR accidentally wounded.
GOT LETTERS NELL 99 ( & Fred) 100 & 101, proofs of
boys photo & good ones of Nell & girls, Geoff 61, Jean, Jean,
Rob, Rob & Doug, May Robinson, Mills.
SATURDAY 6th
Relaid 400 yds of Decauville Tram
Westhoek towards Anzac. Sleepers put in.
C Coy carted 18 loads sleepers for Westhoek.
Zonnebeke Rd. Put on 1st Pioneers section
to make it passable.
Transported 300 yds Decauville rails
to present end of line.
Did 100 yds formation
B maintaining left road
Capt. Benson called for notes.
OCTOBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 7th
Transporting planks by waggon to Westhoek
Carried 440 yds of duckboards, Cambridge rd
to beyond Zonnebeke. C Coy & B Coy on
roads
2 OR (transport) wounded. 2 horses killed
MONDAY 8th.
C Coy on Zonnebeke Road.
B Coy clearing road through Zonnebeke
from Church forwards.
A & D carrying duck boards from
Birr X. Road & laying from Tokio
to De Knoel Farm.
Lts Hope & Ride from Super list & Lt Fisher from Sunset
40 OR retd from hosp & 30 O.R. from Reinforcements.
TUESDAY 9th.
C Coy on Zonnebeke road
A & D Coy cleared & reformed road
from Brick Kiln through Zonnebeke
to Broodseinde.
B Coy cleared road Zonnebeke
back to Roulers Railway & the road
on top of ridge to north.
Further [[?]] our front, to the left
up to & including French sector.
WEDNESDAY 10th
Duckboard track extended from
about St. Joseph's through Zonnebeke
to Moulin town. Had to carry from
Cambridge road.
B Coy. improving Rd from Routers Rly fwd.
C Coy on Zonnebeke Road.
Relieved on fwd work at midnight by
4th Divn. I inspected Dug outs at
Mud Lane to put in Coy patrolling
plank roads.
OCTOBER, 1917.
Wrote NELL 69
THURSDAY 11th
D Coy patrolling plank roads,
4 OR killed, 1 missing, 3 wounded
Capt. Sinclair returned from training Bn.
2/ Lts. Maleslin & Jenkins jd from 9th Rfts.
3 OR retd. from Hosp.
FRIDAY I2th.
A. Coy patrolling plank roads
1 OR wounded
10 O.R retd. from Hosp.
SATURDAY 13th
B, C & D Coys started on
roads at Zonnebeke, B on Zonnebeke to
Seine & others from Brickfield South
2 O.R killed 3 OR wounded.
OCTOBER, 1917.
GOT LETTERS Elsie, Padre, Boilean
Capt. Sinclair killed. Splendid officer.
SUNDAY 14th.
B C & D Coys on roads through & North
& South of Zonnebeke.
2 OR killed; 8 OR wounded; 1 OR wd with unit
Letter of thanks from 6th Fld Amb, help given.
MONDAY 15th.
20 Rft. arrived.
Still on rds in and beyond
Zonnebeke.
2 OR wounded.
1 Off Capt. Neetham wd at duty
Capt. Shaw, M.C.; Bar to MM Pte Frome
M.M. Sergt. G. A. Kent; Sgt. J. H. Ferguson
Anzac orders No 84 (orders 434-436) 14/10/17
TUESDAY 16th
Same work as yesterday
1 OR gassed
3 OR joined from Hosp
WEDNESDAY 17th
2 Coys on roads in North & East of
Zonnebeke. D. coy started from
village back to meet corps party
working forward.
1 OR gassed.
Capt. Moss called & lunched, then
took Donnelly & I by car to Bailleul &
back to Poperinghe. I got some books
&c from my kit at Ecole Dedressin.
OCTOBER, 1917.
THURSDAY 18th.
Moss lent us car in which Donnelly Doc &
new Padre went to convent between Poperinghe
& Pionier. Bought lace handkerchief for Nell
went to catfire near Abele & bought
kilo of sugar.
No casualties.
FRIDAY I9th.
I called on C.R.E.
Usual work
4 O.R. wounded
10 O.R. retd. from Hosp.
SATURDAY 2Oth
Work as before
1 OR wounded
Lieut. Holder & 40 OR retd. from Hosp.
OCTOBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 21st
Donnelly & I visited No. 3 and C.C.S.
at 9Elms. Camp bombed as we
entered it.
MONDAY 22nd.
WROTE NELL 70
Work as usual.
TUESDAY 23rd.
Work as usual. Got word
we to start tomorrow making
Bellewaarde Rd to double width.
Got my leave warrant & drove
to Poperinghe to get train.
WEDNESDAY 24th.
Arrived at & left Calais on S.S. Dieppe.
Was o/c ship. Arrived Dover, about
10.30. Arrived London 1.50 a.m.. Put
up at Ivanhoe Hotel.
Went to Samson & Delilah at
Drury Lane Theatre. Good show.
Called Horseferry Road.
OCTOBER, 1917.
THURSDAY 25th.Visited Sick this morning. Had cup
tea in bedroom.
Attended part show of film
'Intolerance'.
Called on Sir Thos. Robinson
Agent General.
FRIDAY 26th.
Called on Mrs. Birdwood at Sparrow's.
Saw my basket of brass at Burns Philps,
London House, 35 Crutched Friars E.C.
Left 40 coins & note in sealed envelope at
G.N. Bank Princess Street. Got Mrs Baze's
address from Royal Bank. Lunched at Ballan Eachy
Mrs. Bidment. Met Mrs. Buret at Trocadero for tea
& drive to the Gables. Spent night there.
SATURDAY 27th.
At the Gables. Drove to xx Windsor & lunched
with Borch at Castle Inn. Inspected chapel
told schools at Eton. Visited Mitchells
at Kingston. Spent night at the Gables.
OCTOBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 28th.
Left Surbiton & went via Clapham Jct. to East
Croydon to stay Mrs Birdwood.
Very welcome & spent delightful evening
singing &c. Lovely apples & pears.
MONDAY 29th.
Called on Mrs. Baze, invited to stay with
Bazes at Tavistock Square.
Met at Baze's Mr Peter Clark & also
Lt Blake.
Left Ivanverstock
Spoke to Bryja at Horseferry Rd,
Air raid warning, but no trouble.
TUESDAY 30th.
Bit sick in morning.
Stayed in bed till midday
Bought 8 engineering manuals for
Geoff.
WEDNESDAY 31st.
Went to 'The Boy' with
Mrs. Baze. Good show.
NOVEMBER, 1917
THURSDAY 1st
Lunched with J C Whitehead
at Simpson's Cheapside Fish
Dinner. Guessing cheers.
Drew £35. Inspected Harrod's
& dined at Fresentine's
FRIDAY 2nd.
Got letters, NELL 103, 104, 105
Jean 3, Nellie, Fred, Doug, Rob,
Geoff 62, & 2 Sept., Elsie, Peggy, Robinson
Nellies written.
Left Paddington (London) 11.20 am, arrived
Fishguard (Wales) about 7 pm. Dined at
Hotel & went aboard steamer to KINGLERE
about 10 pm & went to bed. A pleasant
trip through picturesque country.
SATURDAY 3rd.
WROTE NELL 71
Arrived in CORK about 10.30am. Drove in
Irish Car to Moore's Hotel on river.
Called on Mr Clegg. Walked around.
Rather a damp day.
NOVEMBER, 1917.
SUNDAY 4th.
Went by steam train to BLARNEY. Nice day. Went
to top of old castle & saw procession
of 1600 Sinn Feiners with pipe band & flags march
to near St. Ann's & engage in drill all afternoon.
I touched the Blarney Stone. Walked to hydro
at St. Ann's & lunched there. Walked another 5
miles towards Cork, had cup of tea & caught train to Cork.
MONDAY 5th.
Left Cork at 9.45 am. Arrived at
Dublin about 4.30 pm. Put up at
Shelbourne Hotel. Called on Rt. Hon Mr
Justice Dodd at 26 Fitzwilliam Square &
dined with him & daughter. Made
very welcome.
TUESDAY 6th
Made an honorary member of
St Stephens Green Club. I found Bank
of Ireland (old Parliament House) & Bank of
Ulster. Went over Guinness' Great
Brewery. Spent later half of afternoon at
the club. Dined with the Judge.
Inspected damage by riots in Sackville.
WEDNESDAY 7th.
Lt Col Clarke took me in car to Monkstown
& other places. Visited Trinity College
& Dollymount. Dinner party
for my honour at Mr Justice Dodd's.
NOVEMBER, 1917
THURSDAY 8th.
Left Dublin 9 am, arrived Belfast
11.45 am. Put up at Linen Hall Hotel
opp new City Hall.
Called on Sir Charles Brett. Lunched
with his son at Ulster Unionist Club.
Went over Gallagher's Tobacco Works &
the big York St Linen Mills.
Bought doz serviettes.
FRIDAY 9th.
Went through Harland & Wolf's
big ship building yards. Left by
S.S. TIGGER at 9.30pm for Glasgow.
Rough in channel. I slept
well.
SATURDAY 10th
Arrived Glasgow 9.30 and
& put up at Waverley Hotel in
Sauchiehall St.
Visited "Dickson's Blazes" & had
dinner & tea at Brown's Newlands
spent pleasant evening. I rang
the Bell ringers.
NOVEMBER, 1917
SUNDAY 11th
Attended Glasgow Cathedral
had tea at Brown's & went to church
with them.
MONDAY 12th
Went to Prestwick. Lunched & had
tea & supper at Biggart Memorial
Home. Inspected kids who paraded
& sang. Saw some sorry sights, from
mites suffering for sins of the
parents.
Slept at Mrs Smith's
Pott's fiancee, Mjs Kelly - O.K.
TUESDAY 13th
Mjs Kelly & I visited AYR & the
Banks of Doon, Burns monument
& gardens. Brig o'Doon Allowny
Kirk, Tam of hunter pub, Burns cottage.
Went to Kilmarnock, called on
Mrs. Brown, drafted statement of afrs &
stayed night J. BORLAND'S
WEDNESDAY 14th
A.P. Brown & I signed dup
statements. Had tea & supper at the
Manson's, Met Mrs. & Mjs Smellies
Left Sheffield at 10 pm.
NOVEMBER, 1917
THURSDAY 15th
Arrived Sheffield 4 am. Could
not get bed. Got chair at King's Head
Visited Hemming's tool steel works,
Vicker's ammunition works
Hadfields. " "
Left Sheffield 7.15 pm & reached
London - St. Pancreas 11 pm
Rejoined Mrs Boye.
FRIDAY 16th.
Called at Horseferry Road.
Met Lt. Baxter & took him lunch at
Piccadilly off. Club. Met Col. Sutton, Col.
Nicholson, Major Ginger Byrne & ors.
Bought miniature of V.D.
SATURDAY 17th.
Posted lace & 6 serviettes to Nell.
Lodged Scotch statements in G. N. Bank
Met Mrs. & Mjs Boye & lunched at the
Chantilly Cafe in Soho.
I took the Boyes to see operette
"Arlette" at Shaftesbury Theatre. A
very good show.
NOVEMBER, 1917
SUNDAY 18th.
Visited Wandsworth Hospital
MONDAY 19th
WROTE NELL 72 Got letters
NELL 106, Geoff 63,
Nellie & note Nell, brother Doug, Elsie
Wharf St girls. Called on Arthur Mee.
Did shopping at Harrod's & visited
South Kensington museum & Brampton
oratory. Lunched at Chanticlier cafe.
Frith St. Soho. Dined at home.
TUESDAY 20th
Called at Arthur Mee.
113 Cheapside - Reeves [[?])
Berbe & Co. Geomjn St
Met Mills & Col Nicholson for lunch at 138
Piccadilly. Coffee with Mrs. Primrose at the
Empire Club, Dover St. Reception at overseas
officers Club Pall Mall. Met Countess Gleichen &
Mrs. Hanbery Tracey.
Dined at The Gables, Surbiton.
Mills took serviette & books for kiddies.
WEDNESDAY 21st.
Posted Kelly's presents home & books
to Sister Kelly. Lunched at Cheapside -
went through the Temple, Inns of
Court & Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Mrs. Baze, Capt. Hodgson & I attended
opera Conninetta
Mrs. Reid & Mrs Moore dined at Boye's
afternoon tea at Lyceum (Ladies) club.
NOVEMBER, 1917
THURSDAY 22nd.
Shopping - called at Sparrow &c. Mrs. B
at lunch. Called on James Allan at
Y.M.C.A. met Phylis Boret.
Posted modelling wax to Doug
Shopping at Harrod's
FRIDAY 23rd
Presented silver ink to Mrs. Boye
Left Charing X at 1.50. Mrs. Boret & daugt
saw me off. Met Col. Aghorn at
Folkestone. Arrived Boulogne
abt 5 pm. Put up at Folkestone
Hotel.
SATURDAY 24th
Left Boulogne at 10 am. Lunched
at Calais, dined at Bailleul
arrived at Fairy Farm Locna
about 9.30 p.m.
Good quarters.
GOT LETTERS Nell 107, & note also
Doug, W.C. Irving, Ms. Vidgers. Photo
Forster's birds
Got 3 parcels & 1 for Booth.
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