Diary of Alexander Sutherland Mackay, 9 November 1916 - 4 March 1917 - Part 5

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thing glistening - ground roofs trees
Long icicles about 18 inches hanging from
each groove in the iron roofs. The weather
is warmer but standing in the snow any
length of time makes one very dead in the
feet.
8/2/17 Pay Day Our Subsection on Guard
I fell in for Bulford picket leaving for
the hotel at 6 pm & waiting there until
9 pm closing time, to chuck drunks out
The hotel is about a mile away, no business
doing
9/2/17 Our sub doing fatigues, I was occupied
folding blankets in Quartermasters' store.
The majority are swinging picks digging
the ice out of the concrete gutters - fairly
hard & monotonous work.
10/2/17. Saturday - half day. Two hours
cleaning guns, ½ hours smoko & 3/4 hours
grooming horses ended our duties today
Put in for pass to go to Salisbury
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but missed the bus. not very disappointed
feeling rather lazy. Big mob leaving
for France today, they are bringing men
over wholesaled lately. All fully satisfied
this Spring will see Germany settled. Papers
prophecy by battles shortly on both land
& sea. Much warmer lately although snow
still plentiful & thawing very slowly
11/2/17. Inspected this morning by a new
O.C. after which we were all marched to
church. On returning I got a pleasant
surprise in the shape of a letters from
Australia. First received from home since
my departure; one from Mother. Roy Lily &
Leslie.

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12/2/17 to} Usual Days, Gun Drill for
14/2/17    }  2 hours & 1 hrs stables of a morning
After lunch 1 hrs gun drill, I hour's physical
jerks & 1 hours stables. Of a morning with
the frozen ground its fairly clean but
in the afternoon when the ground thaws
its awful. Slushy mud leaves one in
a frightful state.
15/2/17 Received answer to my letter
from Connie Keys. She tells me Ronnie
was over here sometime ago, so Ill
probably miss him unless I have the
luck to land somewhere near him in
France. Much warmer today
16/2/17 Still fairly good weather. We
are supposed to go up for our gun
drill test next week. A draft for
France leaves the end of this month,
if successful in our test we may be
bunged over, notwithstanding the 4 days
disembarkation leave due to us. Our new
 

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OC appears a very hard man to
obtain leave from.
17/2/17 Our Sub on guard again. I struck
the pick of the jobs-Canteen piquet. Report
to the M Police at the Canteen at 8.45 pm
remain there until 9 pm to clear the room
next day's duties consist of about 10 xxxxx
minutes carrying mail bags to & from the
Post Office. No other duties, its a regular joke.
18/2/17. Visited Durrington Camp about 3 miles
away saw Jack Budgen & Tobler - two mates
from Frasers. Roads very slushy & thick fog
hanging about.
19^th to 22^nd Feb. Nothing to relate. Ordinary
working days. No frosts or snow, ground drying
up nicely
23/2/17. Received my first oninoculation today, took
the afternoon off & went for a stroll down Piccadilly.
Rained tonight, ground will be as bad as ever
for slush tomorrow
24/2/17. Saturday - duties consist of cleaning guns
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& grooming horses. Feeling rather weary, worked
the innoculation gag & got the morning off.
This afternoon a general inspection by the
Colonel from Lark Hill takes place
A Major ^ Captain & 4 Lieutenants were transferred
to this camp recently & they have stirred things
up. The redtape restrictions & new rules have
practically settled our happy home. However
we anticipate only another fortnight or three
weeks before shifting over to France.
4/3/17. All last week we were engaged
in musketry finishing up at the range
on Saturday. This makes the third occasion
 I have passed out at musketry. We will
 go up for gunnery this week, ending our
 schooling here. We will probably get our
4 days disembarkation leave next Friday.
Bill Nott has had his, he wrote over on the
25^th ults saying he was leaving next day.
Visited Amesbury yesterday, its a typical English
village, narrow lanes for streets & old stone
 

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buildings covered in moss. Went through
the church, its evidently a very old
structure & is at present is in a rather
dilapidated condition, one memorial tablet
was dated 1676. As usual nothing but

uniform knocking around. Bitterly
cold wind blowing today, I believe they
last nearly all this month