Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, July 1917 to August 1918 - Part 4

Hazelbrouck, living in a house in

which 6 wks ago the occupants

were living in peacefl calm confidence

that the German would never

come  near the place. now

shells fly overhead, or fall
near, a dead beast lies a few 

yards away, a smashed wagon.

the roof is shell torn, the

yard & garden shell holed,

window spaces sandbagged

broken bottles etc lying about

in unoccupied rooms, a few

chickens wandering about, &

a couple of goats with kids

skipping about- The open

country around, mostly covered

by growing crops is shell torn

& trampled, houses & farms

at intervals with Strazeele

not far away, all wrecked 

The civilians have all fled, those around

here in a great hurry leaving practically

all their belongings, & places have been

looted wholesale- In Caestre the French
& British & Austn troops created a riot -
Cellars have been broken into & breweries
& estaminets have supplied fuel for
this sort of thing.  Supplies of wine
are supposed to be reported to the nearest
A.P.M. but - . !  All cattle are
driven back by mounted police, but the
troops in front areas have been living
on fresh meat, mutton, pork & poultry
while supplies lasted.  Here there are
2 clutches of chickens & 2 goats with
kids.
11/5/18 Have had several moves- Up
to 9^th Bn RAP near Strazeele, then
at night to 11^th Bn RAP near Sec Bois
when the 11^th took over this Sector & yest.
we came to a farm near Strazeele

Station
6/6/18 
May has passed, "the Merry Month
of May" when the earth thoroughly
awakes after its winter sleep, &
all nature seems bent on decking
it out in its most beautiful garments.
For weeks we have been revelling in the
long days & brilliant sunshine of an
early Summer - the beauties of
fields & woods inspires one with higher &
purer thought. & one ^wonders why it is that
man has made such a mess of
things.  This morning I heard the
note of the Cuckoo, & often we heard the
larks start Song. & See the Swallows
& Swifts darting about. - The
fields have been golden with buttercup
& hedges & ditches are arrayed
in greens & blues, pink & white
& gold - The fresh ivy creeps up
the steps of hawthorn & trunk of willow
& oak.  The nettle & dock, wild parsley
& tiny blue forgetme not all mingle &
blend into one beautiful whole.  The
pink wild briar & tall marguerites
give an added touch of colour to the
hedges - In the fields the barley is
beginning to turn colour, & early
hay is being cut.
3/8/18 We have left  Hondeqhaut & are
now billeted near Quiestede, a big
old farm.  The night we left. H. the
camp was bombed by Fritz.  We
came thro. to Blendecques by motor
lorries (about 60 of them)  Then a march
through the dark & silent country of
8 or 9 Kilos, brought us to the farm
where we stopped on the way to Cormont
in Nov - It is larger than the average
farm.  A long low dwelling house
on our side, with pink tiled roof
 

& a pretty pink rose against the
white wall.  Near the door a crystal
spring, from a bore 90 ft deep, gushing
into a circular basin & overflowing into
a stone pipe - The courtyard is about
100 ft square with stables & barn on
other 3 sides.  We occupy the  barn
which is over 100 ft long by about 50 ft.
The threshing machines & several other
farm implements are American,
I.H.C. - Several dogs in Kennels along
one wall & a pigeon Cote standing
in the yard. - The entrance is 'neath
a big brick archway with a crest
above it.  The Corners ^of the square are def in the
form of round towers, & have been
built for defence, several feet thick
with loopholes, & on three sides
there is a marsh, with reeds &
bullrushes.
SR. & I went for a long ramble through
most beautiful country, several kilos
walk to Clarkques then by motor
lorry, & car to Clety - walked to
Ouve Wirquin where we had lunch,
then caught a lorry to Aire.
Aire is very much knocked about by
bombs & fire.  It is about the size of
Hazebrouck - Most of the inhabitants
had left, but we saw quite a number
in the streets, & a few shops open.
Returned through Roquetoire, &
after stopping at a farmhouse for
some milk arrived back about 10 PM. -
 

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Albert (frewar) 7.340 Enhab. on the Ancre,
called Ancre until reign of Louis XIII, then
named after Char d'Albert duc de Luynes.
Church Notre dame de Brebieres, in Rom Byzantin style.
Amiens. 90.758 Inhab - Chief town of Somme
on R. Somme, built at time of Gauls, several times
ravaged by Normans. Peace of A bet. Eng & F 1802
Cathedral St Michael - Largest & Most beautiful
cath in France 12^th Cent.
Armentières. 29,407.  Industrial town
Arras. 25800
Abbeville 20388 on Somme
Bailleul 13350
Bapaume 3,113
Boulogne 49,949  Most Import Fch. fishg
port - B. was most import Channel port
in Roman days. - Under Eng. rule 1544 - 50
Bonaparte prepared his expedn to Eng.
Wincraut. - hap. statue.
Calais. 59703 - fortified - fishg port
Cassel - on Mont Cassel - 3222. - Very
ancient. Known before Gallic conquest -
Served as Roman fortd camp. - Three big
battles fought there -
Étaples 4709 on Cauche. sea port
1492 Henry VII & Chas VIII signed treaty.
Renaissance Church E. to Bol. 29K.
Hazebrouck 13627 on Bourre - L'hospice
estabd in 16^th Cent. in ancient Aug. Convent
Paris Plage - near Etaples - Le Touquet
Foret of Touquet near - Fine beach.
Ribemont Arsinc 2769 - Boseqid 1587 by Prince
of Condé - Town pillaged & burnt
St Omer 20,867 on L' Aa - St Omer sprang
up round Convent de Sethiou 640 - Robert of
Artois was beaten at end of 100 yrs War
Church Notre Dame 13th Cent. Ruins of
St Bertin - Clairmarais Magnif forest
Ypres. (Belg.) 16299 - Ancient Capital of Flanders

By Elbert Hubbard (drowned in Lusitania)
Love for its own sake can exist only
between a man & a woman mentally
mated, for only then is complete, unqualified, honest
expression possible.  And where there is comradeship,
there can love & reason walk hand in hand.
Love & Reason!
Yesterday woman was a chattel.  Now she
is, in law, a minor: To-morrow she will be
free - or partially so, save as to her own limitations
that is to say, as free as man.
These changes have gradually come about through
isolated discoveries that a man & a woman
may be mental mates.  Then for the first
time there existed honesty in their relationship,
for surely I do not have to prove that honesty
between Master & Slave is either an accident
or a barren ideality - There must be a
community of interest -
Love for its own sake with honesty & truth
for counsel & guide, is the highest good.
It is the Supreme endowment of nature.
and he who loves most is most blessed.
Love & ownership, Love & "Rights".  Love & Finesse
Love & management.  These things are
all very old but Love & Reason are a
new combination - And it can only exist
where there is the unconditional admission
of equality - Such a partnership means
a doubling of every intellectual joy, & an
increased sympathy with every living
thing. - a oneness that knows no limit
It poetises all life, & lifts a lover
into deity ship if any one thing can.
It means universality.  We reach God
through the love of one - Love for love's
sake, - there is nothing better.  It Sweetens
every act of life.  Love grows by giving.
The love we give away is the only love we
keep.  Insight, sympathy, faith,
Knowledge, & love are the results of love - they
are the children of parents mentally mated
Love for Loves sake is God's supreme
gift to man.

Conscience is the manifestations made by
by the Soul to the finer feelings of the
individual, when he or she contemplates
or has already performed some wrong action.
Success - by Kenneth Littaner
It's what you've won by your own grim might,
By the latent force that your forbears bred.
By the will unbending to fight your fight
Though your sinews cracked & your hope seemed dead;
It's what you've gained by your mind's travail,
Through weary vigils of gloom & strife,
When, straining onward, you've scorned to fail
To loose your grip on your love of life;
Its what you've slaved for with all your strength.
Not what, through luck, you perchance posess.
That brings content to your soul at length,
That really counts when youve won success!

LR Sillars              G Ware

Ralph Sharpe     P.C. White
S. Sheaf                Levey (near Ypres Mar 1918)
J Simpson  21/3/18     HAT Reynolds  From Budge
Spurgeon
Honour Roll
3^rd Aust Fd Amb.
Lt. Col J.J. Nicholas         Pte A. Fuller
Lt R.M. Armitage             F.M Gill
Lt H. Flynn.                       J.H. Hazlett
SSgt. WCW Bannister  WG Hillcork
Sgt C.S. Derbyshire        F. Hudson
Sgt P.R. Elliot                   L. Larsen
Sgt W. Gunn                    F.C. Lock
Sgt A. Parker                   H.McCabe
L/c AB. McNeil                 R McGowan
Pte AJ Adams                 W. McGowan
Bauer (Shell Green)       A McKernan
R Brocklesbury               W. McMillan
F. Burnett.                        Merwyn
D. Cadoux.                        FE North
JC Chappell (B.a)           J.O. Pearson
C Dinsdall                        SG Penhaligon
A Eccles                           LJ Pilling
P.E.R Fennell                  FH Ransley
Y

"The ideal Knight is strong, brave,
truthful, tender, courteous, self-controlled;
he never lifts raises
his hand against one weaker
than himself, nor takes an unfair
advantage of another, nor
speaks ill of the absent, nor
is unfaithful to a friend.
Honour is his watchword, and
gentleness his ornament.  He is
helpful & considerate, especially to the
weak, is fearless in danger, compassionate
in triumph, forgiving when wronged,
Kind to the child & animal.  Such an
ideal must you set before yourself.  Every
day remember the old motto of chivalry:
"Do thy duty let come what may".  Be
reverent to true greatness, admire what
is noble, shun what is base.  So
shall the blessing of the King be upon
you, & the Light of the teacher shall
guide you."
One ship drives East, another drives West
With the self same winds that blow;
Tis the Set of the Sails, & not the gales,
Which tell us the way they go.
Like the winds of the Sea are the ways of fate,
As we voyage along through Life;
Tis the Set of Sail that decides its goal
And not the Calm or the Strife.
Ella W. Wilcox.
The heights aby great men reached & kept,
were not attained by sudden flight,
But they while their companions slept
Were toiling upward in the night.
Loere 23/12/17.
Fool not: for all may have, if they dare
try, a glorious life or grave".  Herbert.
The true & the beautiful are one.
7.

Just one who never starts to preach
when days of shadow come:
But understands - & walks beside -
and cheers you on: a chum!
Just one who cares not if your path
in palace lies or slum -
So long as it is grandly walked,
with sturdy feet: - a chum!
Just on who listens - knows - & keeps -
in courteous silence dumb.
The thoughts & dreams you trust to him,
in confidence: a chum!
Just one who sings a song of pluck
above the world way's hum:
and grips your hand: a soul to trust
from youth to age, - a chum!
If I, of youth & hope bereft,
Should die dismayed, & you should be
on earth the only creature left
to mourn for me;
And if I should look back & see
that you, regretting not your choice,
Did grieve to know me dead... Ah me!
I should rejoice;

For life holds only you, just you,
and if you love me (how you ching!)
Then whatsoever God may do,
Death has no string!
FK Morton.
God that made our fathers strong,
Lead us where the dangers throng;
God that made our mothers pure,
Make us steadfast to endure;
On the wave or tented field,
Be our sword & battleshield."
Rantoul
Don't despond, don't give in
But just be Yourself
Yourself that is highest & best.
And just live each day in a sensible way
and to Providence just leave the rest.
Now the laborer's task is o'er
Now the battle day is past
Now upon the further shore
Lands the voyager at last
Father in thy gracious Keeping.
Leave we now thy servant sleeping.
There the tears of earth are dried
There its hidden things are clear
There the work of life is tried
By a juster judge than here
There the penitents who turn
To the cross their drying eyes
All the love of Jesus learn
At his feet in Paradise.
There no more the powers of Hell
Can prevail to mar their peace
Christ the Lord shall guard them well
He who died for their release
Earth to earth & dust to dust
Calmly now the words we speak say
Left behind we wait in trust
for the resurrection day.
O Love that wilt not let me go
I rest my weary soul in thee
I give thee back the life I owe
That in Hopes ocean depths its flow
may richer fuller be
O, Light that followest all my way
I yield my flickering torch to thee
My heart restores its borrowed way
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
may brighter fairer be.
O, Joy that seekest me thro pain
I cannot close my heart to Thee
I trace the rainbow thro' the rain
and feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be
O Cross that liftest up myxx head
I dare not ask to fly from thee
I lay in dust Life's glory dead
and from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Oh!  who can see fair woman lend to man,
In soft submission and full homage free,
The sum of all her powers unasked, nor feel
The need of such sweet comforters, the joy
Of being her protector, the high mark
Of all her earthly hopes, her world entire
Centre and continent of all she owns.
They talk about a womans sphere
As though it had a limit:

There's not a task to mankind given
Without a woman in it.
Never see evil.  It may exist, but pass it by.
In seeing good, peace will come & abide with
you; you will grow to trust, & with peace &
trust for companions, what more cane one ask.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a flying.
And that same flower which blooms to-day
Tomorrow will be dying.
Lightly the breath of the spring wind blows
Though laden with sweet perfume;

Tis the fragrance rare that the bushman knows,
The scent of the wattle bloom.
Hark the bells on distant cattle
Waft across the range;

Thro' the golden tufted wattle
Music low & strange.
- A. Lindsay Gordon

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AWM2018.666.1