Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, July 1917 to August 1918 - Part 1

1/6
OH GRAY

2552

3^rd Fd Amb

Kindly return to

F..S. Gray

"Grasmere"

North Bruny Is.

Tasmania.

[*A*]
1917

July 7.  Great air raid on London, 20 to 30

aeroplanes flew over, a large no. of casualties.

In camp at Perham Downs - Salisbury

10/7/17  Marched over to Park House Camp -

2½ m. from Tidworth - the woods are

very pretty now.-  Park H.  fairly empty.

11/7/17  A route march thro' Shipley, & to the

summit of a hill overlooking miles of country.

towards the East.

14/7/17  Walked across to Stonehenge about

16 m. there & back - the Country is rather bare

& uninteresting - Passed the Canadian-

N.Z. & Austn Camps & others - they stretch

for miles - The Avon flows thro' wooded Country

& there are several villages near, Stonehenge

is interesting in its associations - it is fenced

in by barb wire & a p.c. guards the fallen

stones - some are propped, a number still

standing.  On the 21^st June the Sun shines

over the Hele stone & thro' the centre

arch onto the Altar stone.  The

Avenue - or Sacra Via leads

from the East, an old Roman? road

15/7/17  J Rowett & I walked over to Cholderton

to church, & after visited a

little thatched cottage with a pretty

garden, & had "supper "with the District

Nurse, returning to camp by 9.30.

The Sun sets about 9 & it is light till 10.

17/7/17  Walked over again in the evening &

did some gardening for the old lady, later

having supper & returning at 9.-

18/7/.  Rained heavily during day - gas drill

in aftn-  went thro' tear gas & chlorine-

19/7/.    Route march in morning - learnt on

return then I am picked for 17^th Fd Amb

I was unable to do any thing to prevent

going over in aftn. with 20 others.

20/7/17  Put in application to rejoin 3^rd Fd.

Amb with first draft - met Denis Whishaw

at Park House, also McIlroy & Pewer & Goddard

in 17^th Fd Amb. & other old acquaintances 

23/7/17  Walked over to Park House & then across

to Cholderton with Rowett to Church.  Had

tea at Miss B.'s. very warm

24/7/17  Walked into Ludgershall in evg 

walked round the ruins of an old

Norman Castle - a small village -

Crowds of Australians about the streets -

24/7/-  Walked over to Park House to get

mail - no luck - route march with stretchers

this morng, & company drill this aftn.

26/7/-.  A field day, route march to

a valley some 4 miles away where

a dressing station was formed &

from there the bearer Sects. advanced

up to the front line, forming

relay posts & evacuating wounded.

Lunch in the woods & a hot meal

on return - hear the 17^th is leaving

middle of next month.  Steel helmets have arrived.

30/7/17  Hear of Henry's engagement to

Rene Burcham, the letters telling

of it have been sunk, we have not

heard for a month, & news of another

mail sunk is just to hand.  A wet

day, cold Westerly wind, On Sat. went

to Cholderton with Rowett & had supper

with Miss B.  aftn chopping wood.

3/8/17  A route march to Andover

8½ miles away - with packs - I had

new boots & blistered my heel - Recd

photos from Bexhill - Wet weather

last week -  Hear the Bgde is leaving

in 2 wks for Southhampton.

11/8/17  Walked to Marlborough & back

28 miles - started 1.30 & reached there

5 PM, passed thro good agricultural

country, the pretty villages of Collingbourne
- Kingston & Burbage - thro' the

Forest of Savernake & Tottenham Park

the Earl of Ailesbury's estate.  Crossed

the R. Kennet, - Marlborough is a

pretty town of 3 or 4000 - The College

buildings occupy a prominent position 

a fine Chapel - there are 650 Scholars

One or two old Churches - Town Hall

& several old inns.  I left there at 8.30

The harvest is being cut - recent

heavy rain has delayed reaping.

A wet Summer so far.

15/8/17  Intersectional contest in the Fd  [*B*]

Amb.  Lt. Col. Chambers judged &

the three sections competed in parade,

squad drill, stretcher drill - collecting

wounded & loading wagons.  Bandaging - Tent

pitching & wagon loading with stores. etc.

A. sect. won  C. second.  - Heavy thunder

storm, another in evg- 4 miles away.

This will be very prejudicial to harvesting

16/8/17  I was on guard to-day.  An all

day route march to Burbage 8 miles off.

Some of 6^th Div. Inf. being retd. to their original 

units - I applied for 2 days to visit Reading.

18/8/17  Went into Andover in aftn.

a ride most of the way.  Wooded

Country - A large field is being prepared

for an American Aerodrome, a

wood being cleared etc.   Weyhill

a village on the way is a place

of auction for cattle & sheep.

Walked from Andova past some

Mills, on a pretty stream, thro

the village of Clapford & up

Red Race Hill to an old

Roman Camp "Bury Ring" on Bury

Hill, it is now a Wheatfield

surrounded by pines & a double

wall & deep sunken road 20

ft or more & 20 or 30 ft wide, at

one time filled with water (?)

Back to Andover & watched a

fisherman catch a 1 lb rainbow

trout in the stream which flows

thro the town.  I passed a

road up which the Romans used

to cart tin from Wells to the forts

on the hills near.  Market day

in Andover.  I walked back

at 9 o'c.

19/8/17  Church Parade in morning -

Went to YMCA in aftn & played tea.

Later walked to Collingbourne with

McI & P. went to the service at Prim

Methodist Chapel - cong. of old men,

women & children - very hearty service

20/8/17  Leave from Noon.  Left for

Reading by 12.17.  Change at

Andover & Basingstoke - arr. at

Reading 3.15 - & found my way to

Aunt L's - After a dinner & tea, we

took tram to city & out to near

Prospect Park, walking back

thro. the Park & parts of Reading.

Crossing the Holy Brook & R. Kennet.

21/8/.  Took train to a bridge across

the Thames, & walked up the banks

watched the rowing  boats & excursion b.

Retd. into Reading by difft route

& into the town, visiting the

ruins of Reading Abbey, built 1121

by Henry I for the Benedictine

Monks & partially destroyed by HenVIII

in 15 odd.  Splendid ruins, the

walls of the Chapels & Banquet

Hall, it had seen many historical

scenes.  The Holy Brook flowed

past its walls.  Saw Huntley &

Palmers factory, Suttons etc.

After tea, went along banks

of the Kennet to the Junction

with the Thames, & to the pretty

old Eng. village of Sonning -

Fine examples of old Eng architecture,
retd. along a country

road past Suttons Seed Trial

gardens & home by 9.

22/8/-  Retd to Camp, a mail

in of 29/5/17.  F.O.G. has gone up

to Flanders.  An air raid on

23/8/-  Dover & Margate - One last

week on Southend. Went route

march to Pewsey. (18 m.) a pretty

little town in the valley of the

Avon, a fine old Church

Contq a lock from & Port Arthur

"Van Dieman's Land" - 1897.  The

chaucel rails from wood of a 

Spanish ship captured by

Nelson in 1797 - Old memorial

tablets back to 1645 & other old

relics - a well preserved

Church - The Nave roof

from an old Monastry at

Salisbury - The valley is very

fertile, a steep drop from 

the Downs around.

25/8/17   Walked to Perosey via Everleigh. On the

way I went aside to see some old "Barrows"

old British places of burial - Six

of them were along on the Downs, about

50 yds across, a Circular Mound, & a 

ditch & bank outside without.  Walked

along the Valley of Avon to Woodbridge &

then on to Upavon, a beautiful little village 

one of the most picturesque I have seen.

quaint streets & church, old inns &

thatched houses - Netheravon is further 

on. Rain fell yest. & last night

28/8/17  with heavy wind which brought

downs lots of of tents & marquees in 17^th

Bgde.  Our mess tents - Officers Mess &

Hospital all blown down & we erected

these before breakfast - Replaced most

of bell tents by new ones during day,

rain fell most of day.  YMCA, & many

other marquees blown down & damaged

31/8/7  Met Rowett & Phillips at Tidworth

& had tea in town.  Went to 

see The Merry Widow at the Garrison

Theatre - a full moon.  very fine.

Rowett is leaving for France next

Wed with 23^rd M.G. battery as AMC

Detail.  I put in applicn for transfer

to 3^rd Fd Amb but it was not approved.  Fine

2/9/17  weather.  harvesting proceeding - Much

damage has been caused by the storm

Riga captured by the Germans.

15/9/17   Fine weather lately, went

to Upper Chute yest. with McIlroy, &

on to the Causeway, old Roman road

had tea at Chute, a very pretty

village.  The hedges are full of ripe

blackberries & hazel nuts now, farmers

have harvested most of the crops. -

plowing by motors in some fields.

The other day we we marched to some

woods near, & picked blackberries,

brought 100 lb back to Camp.  The

brigade is being broken up, & we are

moving this week.  Alan Buchanan

& Lee marched in to Park house from T.

2/9/.  Walked across to Amesbury

with Prewer - a very pretty spot.

An old Church.  the Avon flowing

thro'. Met Greer Furmage, he

has been over here for 11 mths.  Getting 5

days leave next Tues.

26/9/17  On the Mon & Tues last. there

were 2 big air raids at night  [*C*]

on London, a good deal of damage

done - Left Parkhouse at 2.30 &

caught train at Tidworth change

at Ludgershall & Andover.  Reached

Waterloo at 5.45 & tube to Picadilly

caught a bus & went out to St

Monica's, & took Doris out for

evg.  Went to ^one the Theatres, saw

a play "Within the Lines"  'Retd

to Hosp. & then found my way to Kings

X Stn.  Stayed at YMCA for 4 hrs

the train started at 4.55.  Daylight

when we reached Peterborough, a

fine Cathedral there, low lying country

the fog hanging about fields, woods

beginning to wear their Autumn

tints - Most stations passed thro'

Can't read the names - North Eastern

Line - At York stopped 10 min.

a very old town, narrow streets

A fine Cathedral - saw Rowntrees

name in prominent positions -

Few hills but plenty of streams

woods & fields, green grass, canals

Plowing proceeding - with motors

tractors - Women & girls every where

doing the work of men.  Northallerton

a large town we passed, fine agricultural

country - Darlington, a busy

smoky town, plenty of factories &

high chimneys.  Crossed the R.

Tees, passed some iron mines, then

Durham, a pretty town, with the

R. Wear flowing at its foot, a huge

Cathedral & a fine Castle near the

river, with a quaint & old bridge

leading across.  Further on Peloe

a big Belgian settlement, working

on munitions - Newcastle on Tyne.

with many bridges.  We crossed on

the King Ed. Br.  A large station

Large iron works there.  Followed

the coast past Alnmouth Jn. & saw

Alnwick, a pretty town on a small

penina at mouth of river, with 

the white waves of North Sea beyond.

At Berwick crossed the Tweed., a

glimpse of the Roman wall.  Two 

fine bridges across the Tweed - Into

Scotland.  Bass Rock stands out in

the North Sea, not far from coast.

Arrived at Edinboro at 4 PM.

400 hr. in 11 hrs. - Walked along

Princes St.  Tall shops on right, &

gardens on left in hollow, once a

lake - Rising up from this is the Mound

on which stands the Castle, & below it

the older part of the city & Holyrood Pal.

Arthur's Seat in background.

Found my way to Ramsay Lodge Overseas
Club - Strong wind blowing.

Houses are solidly built of grey stone

St Giles Church towers up. a fine

spire -

Friday morng. After break. went into

Princes St. & up Scott Mount, a splendid

Memorial.  I climbed up to top.-

220 ft. up a circular staircase.

A magnificent view from top. - Went

up on top of Calton Hill near West end

of Princes St.  With Nelson Mont &

City Observatory on top. & gaol near

Retd to Station & caught train

at 10.45 the Caledonian railway 

Edin boro Castle is a fine looking

mass of buildings, its turrets &

ramparts standing out against

the sky.  Lots of closes in older part

of City, Narrow passages leading

to inner comts of the high buildings

crowded together, 6 or 8 stories,

Numbers of statues & Monts - to Scott

Livingston. Nelson, Wellington, Ramsay.

& Blk Watch etc.

Country near the City is hilly. fine

crops of potatoes, women digging &

putting in barrels.  18 ton to acre

average.  Blk Angus Cattle very

common, & horned blk faced sheep.

The Forth was a good land mark

in distance.  Passed a number

 of of slate quarries & coal mines.

huge mtns of refuse.  Nice travg

companions, 3 from Oban, & 2 ladies

going to the Pass of Glencoe to

stay with a McDonald. Mr Mc Dougall

pointed out places of interest on

the way down.  Passed thro Lin-
Linlithgow.  I saw the castle where

Mary Qn of Scots was born & the

tower where the Regent Murray was

shot.  Rather dull but kept fine

Passed Falkirk with iron & coal

mines near, & big foundries - Thro

Stirling, saw the old bridge where

Battle of S. was fought, & the Castle

rising up on Summit of hill -

Banockburn is not far away.  The

Wallace Memorial stands on a small

hill about a mile away - Thro' Dunblane

Doune & the Bridge of Allan on

the banks of Allan Water - Passed

Callender where the coaches start

for hours thro' the Trossachs to

Loch Lomond.  A big modern castle

in a park, with a shooting lodge

not far distant near a small

stream  Then folld a changing

panorama of lochs & bens, burns

& moors - Loch Earn & the Braes

of Balquhidder, a winding road

leading up a wild gorge, the

railway creeping along the side

of steep cliffs, the rock falling

sharply away below - the remains

of an old road built in Cromwell's

time - Arched stone bridges, brown

bracken, purple heather, mtns

bare of trees but green & brown

with cascades of water falling

at intervals, all along,

Everywhere amongst the trees in the

glens or low lands is the rowan

or mountain ash, its

masses of scarlet berries making

vivid splashes of color amongst the

trees.  Passed Loch Tay & Ben Lawers.

Plenty of Scotch firs about - In

places the face of the countryside

has been changed by the cutting

down wholesale of forests, for props

for the mines - Stopped at all

stations - 120 hr. in 6 hrs -

Crian Larich is a very pretty stn.

Strange to hear them talking

Gaelic. the Scotch brogue is

very pretty.  Beyond Callender

the country is much wilder -

Glen Orchy & Glen Lochie -

Loch Awe & down the Pass of

Brander - the River Awe flows

out from the lower end - Steamers

ply on the pretty waters of L.

Awe in tourist season in peace

time.  Saw the red deer feeding

away up on mtn side, scarcely

distinguishable among heather.

They come down to the low lands

in winter.  The heights clothed in

mists, & white water dashing

down in scores of places.  Most

glorious scenery.  Came into

view of Loch Etive & thro Glen

Cruitten to Oban on shores of

Kerrera Sd.  A pretty bay, the

hills rising up all round &

the town nestling at their