Diary of Frederick William Gadsby Annand, 1918 - Part 5
JULY, 1918.
SUNDAY 14th.
WROTE NELL 96 (films Hut &
horse lines La Hommage & old mills] P.Cs Doug
& Fred. Sent air sack savers to Geoff.
Band at Hdqrs Mess, I called at D H Q
re forward Dugout accommodation for
two coys.
MONDAY 15th.
Inspected sundry Dug outs
in & about Aubigny system. A Coy
moved out here. A + ½ D on C / T on
right front. Attended 'Green Diamond'
concert at Riviery. Bosche launched
big attack each side of Rheims.
A heavy thunderstorm towards
morning.
TUESDAY 16th.
P cards to Let & Jean. Films of Bussy Dug
out & HALLUE River channel N of Port Noyelle
Inspected our Saw Mill & workshop
Called at D. H. Q. & arranged for help
in transport of mt materials. Also re some
more dugouts. Lot ofshelling at
night. A & ½ D coy did nearly 400 yds
of forward C/ T in right Bde area.
3 casualties.
WEDNESDAY 17th.
Over fifty of A + C Corps evacuated owing
to shell guns in area of & front & rear of
Aubigny system. Lts Brigelow & Ward also
Some others retained for treatment at B.H.Q.
Digging work for night suspended
after C/ O saw G.S.D., owing to men having
been in gas, & stunt being on short night.
JULY, 1918.
THURSDAY 18th.
I rode out to Aubigny line & saw Capt.
Roth & others re previous gassing.
Inspected some of the dug-outs
including one being bunked for D Coy.
Gave news of successful French
counterattack about Soissons.
Socks from Marion Wiseman, Napier St. Essendon
to me in Comforts Parcel No 2.
FRIDAY 19th.
usual work. Inspected Mill
Called on Brig Genl Cam Robertson
at Glisy. He had just taken over 6th Bde.
Maj Gen Rosenthal severely wounded in arm
that morning. Called on B.G Wisdom re
McCulloch etc.
SATURDAY 20th.
Inspected work on forward M.G. dug
outs & possies, also our dugout in
Aubigny line.
JULY, 1918.
SUNDAY 21st.
Inspected our Transport at Lamotte.
Lt. Col Robinson called to see me.
MONDAY, 22nd.
Attended Race Meeting of 4th Div
at Allonville. A well arranged
function. Capts Kemmis? & Smith killed
in first event. My Rita fourth in two open
races. B Coy shelled out of Camp &
brought in to near Hd qrs.
Heavy mustard gas shelling about Villers
Brettoneux. 10 of A Coy evac & 10 to Bn Rest.
got in retg from work. 8 of D Coy demolition
guards evacuated.
TUESDAY 23rd.
Did not go out.
Administration.
Wrote to Geoff.
Major Donnelly retd from leave.
WEDNESDAY 24th.Did not go out. Went with
Donnelly to Aubigny line &
conferred with Capt. Roth. Insp
dug outs in progress
JULY, 1918.
THURSDAY 25TH
C.R.E. lunched with us.
I visited mill. Saw small saplings
sent by 7th Fld Coy for milling.
Called at D H .Q. & saw Gen Wisdom
re lorries etc.
Appd for leave from 29th wired
to Hancox
FRIDAY 26th.
Did not go out. Work as
usual. Donnelly visited A Coy
& work in Aubigny line.
A boisterous wet day.
Wrote memo on reinforcements &
suggested corps troops of two grades.
SATURDAY 27th.
WROTE NELL 97
Parcels from Lil & Eve Robinson very
welcome.
JULY, 1918.
SUNDAY 28th.
Hanere sent car & I drove to
D.G.T. Camp at La Colotterie. A
lovely trip through Crecy.
MONDAY 29th.
Drove in car to Bologne & left by
boat at 12.30 p.m. Some firing on the
way & a mine blown up. Tortuous
course. Metal balloon escort. Arrived
Folkestone 2.30 & London 4.30 pm. Put
up at Offr Club 138 Piccadilly. Attended
performance at Colisseum.
TUESDAY 30th.
Reported at Horseferry Rd.
Left parcel at Cook's, Langley 8; & coins in
S.C at Q.E Bank. Visited 'The Gables' in
afternoon & played 2 sets tennis with
Borets. Attended 'The Maid of the
Mountains' at Daly's Theatre. Jose Collins
prima donna
WEDNESDAY, 31st.
Knocking about. Got
rain coat &c at Horseferry Rd.
Sent cable "English leave".
wrote Nell. Sent "Waterman pen to
Rab, & Heilly vase to Nell.
Phoned Whitehill, who was out.
AUGUST, 1918.
THURSDAY 1st.
Took train to Kensington & left the
Fern Inn wharf in steamer 'Somring'.
Lunched at Windsor. Put up for
night at Red Lion Hotel, Henley.
A beautiful day. Delightful scenes
of gardens lawns, villas huts & parks
on river bank. Roses, geraniums & other
garden glories a blaze of gorgeous beauty.
FRIDAY 2nd.
Left by steamer at 9 a.m. Lunched at
the Lamb Hotel, Wallingford. Arrived
Oxford about 7 pm. Showers of rain
nearly all day. Scenery not nearly
so uniformly beautiful as day before.
Met by Dr Hankins & had supper at his flat
Played piece on Pianola. Lodged at
'The Mintone ' Hotel. The sort of learning looks
very interesting.
SATURDAY 3rd
A fair day's visiting Bodleian Library, Radcliffe
Camera, Magdalen College & other sights.
Strolled around Addison's walk on the
banks of the charvell & watched the
deer. Wrote to Nell; bought
some books of views for via Nell &c
AUGUST, 1918.
SUNDAY 4th.
Visited St John's College Gardens & end of
service in Christ Church Chapel. Inspected
Christ Church college kitchen.
Left Oxford about 5 p.m. Dined at Euston
Stn Hotel, London, & left by train for Glasgow
at 8.30 p.m. Had a two seater seat to myself.
A rapid journey.
MONDAY 5th.
Arrived at Glasgow 6.45 am.
Put up at Central Hotel. Inspected
Municipal Electric Light & Power Station
& the new station in course of construction,
to have 300,000 K.W. capacity.
Bought air pillow.
Went over Dixon's iron smelting works
at Crown Street.
TUESDAY 6th.
Went to Greenwich &
went over Scott & Coy's ship yard
& engineering works. Did not
appear so well organised as when
I saw last leave. Lunched at Wheat
Sheaf Hotel. Inspected local electric
power station. Just standard sets.
Returned to city on steamer 'Lord of the Isles'
WEDNESDAY 7th.
Left Glasgow at 9.5 a.m. Passed
through Kilmarnock, Carlisle, Leeds,
Chesterfield etc. Lovely country.
Arrived St Pancras 8.10 pm.
Put up at 138 Piccadilly.
AUGUST, 1918.
GOT LETTERS
Nell 145 (& Doug) Note of 20 May, 146, 147, & 148
Jean 17, 25 May & 2 June (& Doug) Geoff 80 & 81
brother Doug, A A G 1st M D
THURSDAY 8th.
Visited Horseferry Rd, lunched with Mrs
Bidmead at Baltic Exchg, interviewed
Col Burkley at Australia House re Geoff,
met John Whitehill & had afternoon tea.
FRIDAY 9th.
Lunched with John C Whitehill &
Mr Cooper of Arshaw & Coy, Glasgow, at 'Ye Olde
Cheshire Cheese'. Had bottle of port in cellar.
Went to Hampstead & over the lovely Heath.
Afternoon tea in Bond St. Went home
to E. Croydon with the Bidmeads & had happy
evening. Won 3 games billiards. Stayed night.
Bought post cards of 'The Old Curiosity Shop".
14 Portsmouth St.
SATURDAY 10th.
Returned to town via Wandsworth
Hospital where I saw Capt. Shaw.
Lunched at club. Wrote Nell & 1st M.D.
Went out to stay at 'The Gables'.
Played tennis: Music in evening.
AUGUST, 1918.
SUNDAY 11th.
Still at 'The Gables'. Had some good
tennis.
MONDAY 12th.
Left Surbiton at 1.34 pm. Met
Hancox at Charring X & left there at 2.55
pm. Left Folkestone at 5.30 pm. Arrived
Boulogne 7.45 p.m. Dined there & drove
to Hancox Camp for the night.
TUESDAY 13th.
Left La Calloteria at 10.45 a.m.;
lunched at Reinforcement Camp BERTEAUCOURT.
Came via GLISY & VILLERS BRETTENEAU to Camp
near WARFUSEE. Arrived before 4 pm.
Hancox started back in car after having
cup of tea. Some bombing at night.
Greatly shocked to hear from my batman
Booth was killed a few days ago.
WEDNESDAY 14th.
With Major Donnelly rode round
good portion of Divl. Area inspecting roads
& track etc. Called at A Coy new camp. Got
flares from aeroplane.
Capt. Nicholson thrown from horse &
foot broken or sprained.
AUGUST, 1918.
THURSDAY 15th.
Inspected B Coy job near Marcelcave.
Lot of heavy calibre shelling of
main roads & villages.
Sent Bowland's letter to Byram.
FRIDAY 16th.
FAMILY REMITTANCE No 17 of £35
making £280 to date on raffle & Kids.
WROTE NELL 98
Visited D .H. Q re officers etc.
Heavy shelling of village & roads. Several
into Villers Bret while I was there.
Lunched with C.R.E.
SATURDAY 17th.
Moved from S of Warfusee to our
old camp on river bank E of Blangy
Tronville. Men moved in detached
lots & mostly hopped lorries. Relieved
in forward sector by Highland Bn
of 36th Divsn.
AUGUST, 1918.
SUNDAY 18th.
Settling down in new (old) camp near
Blangy. Comttee arranged detail of swimming
matches. Two Canadian sisters called &
had afternoon tea.
MONDAY, 19th.
Major Donnelly & I rode to 53rd C C S
& had tea there. Invited Matron & any
of the sisters to visit our Swimming
sports on Wednesday. Emergency bridges
over Somme being demolished to facilitate
barge traffic.
I called on B. Genl. Footte at Corps Hd qrs
re milling timbers &c.
TUESDAY 20th.
Preparing for sports. Padre's
nursing sister came & dined with us.
Weather, which had been dull, cleared.
Heard that Bosche attacked 36th Divisn. on
Sunday morning.
Posted attache case, oxford views, scent &c
to Nellie.
Sent Cable ; "Happy returns Nellie Rab.'
Sent old Curiosity Shop p. c. to Nellie.
dispatched 27th debited 9/977.
WEDNESDAY 21st.
Bn Swimming Carnival in Somme near
Blangy Tronville: a great success. Concert
in moonlight at night. Several nurses
attended, also M General Rosenthal & many
other officers. Cecil Healy gave demonstration.
AUGUST, 1918.
GOT LETTERS NELL 151 (149 & 150 missing)
Doug Fred, Elsie, Grace Bond
THURSDAY 22nd
Attended Swimming Sports of
19th Bn at Forilloy. Stayed to Mess with
Col. Bateman. Saw about 600 German
prisoners pass. Our corps in a stunt.
Very hot day.
FRIDAY 23rd
Hot day. Quiet.
SATURDAY 24th
Attended conference of C/ Os with
G.O.C. near Daours. Principally re transport
Met Cam Robinson.
AUGUST, 1918.
SUNDAY 25th
Church Parade. Had heard No 37 C C.S
Brought some sisters of concert at our lines
by 11th Bde concert party. Excellent . Warned
of early move forwarding.
Col of 37 CCS asked for our Bant to be left here.
MONDAY 26th
I dined at H.Q of 4th Pioneers.
Arranged re move on morrow.
TUESDAY 27th
Bn moved to old German
Camp 'Schelswig Lager" north east
of 'Mericourt sur Somme'
Road repairs
Met Roy Stanley on the
road.
WEDNESDAY 28th
One platoon improving D. H. Q
Some road repair work. Salving
asked to collect Bosche notice boards.
Capt. Patterson retd from leave.
B. General Foott lunched with us
AUGUST, 1918.
GOT LETTERS, NELL 149, 150 & Nellie;
Jean (2). Rob (2) also note Nell; Geoff 82, Doug
Let, Peggy Robinson, & Major Arnold & Mrs Lawes.
THURSDAY 29th
Bn moved forward conforming to
Divl progress. B. H. Q. to RICHTHOFEN
LAGER between CAPPY & DOMPIERRE; The
Corps scattered.
Reconnoitred & repaired forward
roads etc. Arranged more footbridges,
test water &c. making inpits at D.H.Q.
FRIDAY 30th
A & B Coys moved forward. Recmmd
for bridge repairs N W of Ginonne.
Watched fighting on right bank of
Somme N & NW of Peronne.
Making footbridges, repairing roads
& getting up material &c.
WROTE NELL No 99
Nellies birthday.
SATURDAY 31st
Coys on roads
B Coy officers reconnoitred fw
bridge near Halle, & took down
material at night to bridge gap of
14 ft, but found further sections
destroyed by German sentries.
(Sentry ran in afternoon on our
officers approaching
SEPTEMBER, 1918.
SUNDAY 1st
Lot of prisoners.
Divn. captured Mont St Quentin &
were later pushed back a little.
B Coy commenced repair of bridge (along
spur) over Somme towards Halle &
bridged small canal , crater &c.
Heavy shelling of vicinity.
MONDAY 2nd
I accompanied Lt. Lodge to bridge
approaching Halle. 7th Fld. Coy assisting
on South end. Job finished by 5.30 pm.
Reconnoitred for foot bridge. A Coy offrs
north of Peronne & towards Mt St Quentin.
Saw enemy assembling for counter attack,
& our bombardment of Mt St Quentin.
Our Div attack went well beyond the mount
& enemy ran in confusion.
Posted home & to brother Doug samples paper fabric
TUESDAY 3rd
Sent cable despatched 6th brother Doug "Happy returns brother. [*debited*]
I inspected work on bridges over Somme
& advised work of barrel piers to
support ends of two sets of toussand
spans to cross spans of over 60 ft.
I lunched on stewed eel at C Coy.
WEDNESDAY 4th
Lt Col. Durrant called with Engr Waddell
& asked me survey ground opposite
as possible site for proposed review
by C in C.
Warned of relief during night
Warned Coys to come into camp
near Bn Hd Qrs.
SEPTEMBER, 1918.
THURSDAY 5th
Rabs birthday. Wrote Rab
Divsn relieved by Tommies
moving south & our 5th Divn. moving
north. Our companies moved into
vicinity of Bn Hd Qrs.
C .Coy sent party out to continue
on footbridge. Sent souvenirs
Blainey & to get back suit cases & band.
Saw forno big fires burning to S. W
Looks like ciontinued Hun retreat.
FRIDAY 6th
WROTE NELL No 100
Bn ordered to repair clear & prepare
part way of AlbertHam railway from
W of Clery-sur-Somme to Peronne. The
Coys moved out again to adjacent camps.
G.O.C expressed regret at our being denied
the promised rest.
Roth heard webb balking on bridge.
SATURDAY 7th
Posted aluminium tube with newspapers.
With Donnelly rode out to inspect
work on Albert Ham Rly about
Clery sur Somme & Halle. I met G.O.C.
Cam Robertson called while I was
out.
SEPTEMBER, 1918.
SUNDAY 8th
I lunched with CRE & drove out through
Braiche to inspect our bridges.
Called on B Coy. Lot of planes camped
next to us. Question of moving.
Band returned. Heavy rain storm.
Ordered exchange on light draught for Donks.
Posted paper wadding to Nell & bro Doug wrote bro Doug.
MONDAY 9th
Donnelly & I scouted for camp &
located picturesque German camp
at VAUX on the Somme. Lots of good
huts on terraces on steep bank.
Saw area commandant.
Locality of aerodrome bombed
at night. GOT LETTERS
NELL 151, Rab, Doug, Elsie, Edie, Leichney
TUESDAY 10th
Moved Hd Qrs & Coy nuclei to
camp at VAUX.
Lt. Louze called in for return
to Australian - family reasons.
Major Webb called & explained re
bridge. Many planes flew low
close to camp about midnight.
WEDNESDAY 11th
Donnelly & I inspected proposed sports
ground near Suzanne. Race track not
very good. Found coal dumps.
Coys laying broad gauge railway. Showery day.
Lieut. Louze left for return to Australia.
Practised flag race on horses.
SEPTEMBER, 1918.
THURSDAY 12th
Coys finished work on Peronne Railway.
C Coy came into camp in Vaux Forest.
Ordered others to come in.
Showery day. Major Ford, 26th Bn dined.
Had a walk around north bend
of river. Gathered wild rose seeds.
Posted samples wood flower to
whitechill & 2 in anti tank shells to Nell.
Also sample above flower to Doug
FRIDAY 13th
A. B. & D Coys moved into
camp at VAUX. Still showery.
3 Gothas brought down East of us.
Major Donnelly & Capt Armitage
offered 6 months trip to Australia.
Donnelly declined. Armitage
accepted.
Posted German cap in al tube & sample of
big gun cable.
SATURDAY 14th
I attended sports meeting of 6th
& 7th Bdes. Spent more time with
Cam Robinson.
Tried entrainers racers on
the track.
SEPTEMBER, 1918
SUNDAY 15th
Coys at baths. 2 coy church Parade in
morning & not in afternoon. I
reconnoitred for musketry ground. A nice
day.
MONDAY 16th
GOT LETTERS Nell 152/3 Jean (2) Nellie (2)
Doug, Geoff 83/4 Faco, Elsie
Abbott, Matthews. Attended DIV SPORTS.
I won first heat offrs Race on PETER, [[?]]
Donnelly 2nd heat on Rita. I left at post in
final. Donnelly third. Lt. Donnelly won the
Hunters Cup on Mona, & Major Donnelly the
handkerchief Race. Pleasant day. I drove
to D.H.Q & dined C.R.E. Heavy storm later.
I got black eye from bump by horses head
when left at post in race.
TUESDAY 17th
GOT Parcel Wharffe Girls 'Guild. Sweets
Socks, cheese, &c &c
Selected course for Platoon
Field Firing. Gathered mushrooms.
Fine day after violent storm night before.
One man was injured: falling
shelter.
Jewish Padre called
WEDNESDAY 18th
Was not quite well, so took things
easy till evening. Attended Div concert
at D.H.Q. General spoke to men re Pedler
Rode home by moonlight.
SEPTEMBER, 1918.
THURSDAY 19th
Am bilious, so stayed in bed
all day. Nurses called from No 37
but I did not see them.
FRIDAY 30th
Fixed details for Fld
Firing Competition. Bright cool
day. Inspected A Coy's camp.
I am better but a little weak.
Q M.S. Coulton left for Cadet School
in England.
SATURDAY 21st
All platoons exercised in field
firing - ball cartridge - observation &
control: disappearing targets &c. A good
time.
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