Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, January to August 1918 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.785.55
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

M To TH Ty 12 T 14 M To/18 19 TH/20 21 22 24 To 28 S/29 30 JUNE 1918 S. Barnabas S. John Baptist. Midsummer (British Isles) S. Peter To TH To 14 M T0/16 TH 20 22 23 24 TI 26 27 T0/30 S. James JULY 1918 60 CHR. J.L C Was
TH M To 10 12 To 14 T 16 17 18 T/20 TH22 24 25 28 To 28 T 30 31 AUGUST 1918 Ecques Qmestede Bank Holiday in Great Britain and Ireland On Frain & somne Aimens Vaire Bayon Viltiers Van Velliers cc 10th BrRH P 19th By Nr FPetliers Bayon Vitlies aire In Irelar Mr Somme S. Bartholomewy M To TH To T 13 14 16 Ty Th 20 21 22 23 To/24 Th/26 27 28 SEPTEMBER 1918 Ember Day S. Matthew S. Michael and All Angels'
Ty OCTOBER 1918 NOVEMBER 1918 All Saints TH 11 12 13 18 20 21 22 23 24 26 TH/ST. S. Luke SS. Simon and Jude M To TH 10 11 T/12 TH 16 18 19 20 22 23 To/26 29 S. Androw
M To TH To To TH T 14 16 20 21 28 DECEMBER 1918 ist in Advent Ember Day S. Thomas Peace Sunday Christmas Day S. Stephen. Boxing Day S. John, Evan. Holy Innocents ist after Christmas MEMORANDA
196 TUESDAY I JAN. Circumcision Bank Holiday in Scotland New Years oay. Woke up in a big augont at the Main Dressing Station betwien Keminel & Wytschack on the Southern Belgian, front. We (C Sect) are attached to the 2nd Famb Very few casualties lately - snow Covers the ground, but it is not very cold Leave from 3 P.M. to go down to the DRs. at Locre for our Lmas dimner Held in the theatie of the hunvery which is being tied as a hosp.- Several visitors including the DD MS. B. Pollard a sumptious repast as follows Checken soup - sabon May onnaise Roast Beef Roast polators green peas Roast Goose boiled pot. Work Kam. I was pudding, brandy sance. Peactes, custard, rock cakes Beer Lemon Spuash Cocoa Coffees puts Swets & appliy Toasts were drunk. &o The King. C. The 3rd Bddmt, the D.DMS The Col & Officers W.O. The Visitors Major Hall Andy Chalmes Our absent friends Silent Dany Dixon JAN. FRIDAY4 1918 Fine dear & Fosh. Working on the dugont most of day. Walked up to the next Relay post in Ouract Wood StE lor & Parchendale die away to our left on a clear day can see Litle & menin from here ppres is a few iles to the North An Auster mail in the first since Nov 29th Recnord 3 cards, ho litters from home Heard that Graham Gorringe was killed in one of the ppres strints
SATURDAYS 6 1918 JAN. Misty, not so cold Went down to the batS. Se Col. Kay about some Timber, trearly finished the dugont for gto cases, sandbagging, & making preplace Hear we are going act on 16thing The hread ration is one loap for Then, in future the issue is to be 25 biscuits &t bread. the mew in the Line feel the reduction. The food is very fair. We are forhmare in getting poridge in mornings. &bacon I Stew for dinncy + occasionally rice for &ea Sconad him duaty letters. SUNDAY6 JAN. 1918 Epiphany walked down to Cocse in after with SR. &other o bet, Ot. who had rete from ans the previous day. he had 9 days there, a most enryabe trine - Made servial friends & went sound a great deal part of the time with Ben Woolley & also with a Scotchman of the LegiondErrangers. Had &ca at Loere &net? at 8 P.M. HReynolds stll in bed with French fever. Finished rooping & sand bagging the dugont this morning& emphed the wate cart this afternoon, had to put a fire under the pips to make the Laps run 2 Muurses were here this after they camen in a car, to the ridge near Kemmel, The first. Women I have seen in the five they did not sory long.
JaN. MONDAY7 1918 sight rain feft no night & the change has thawed all the snrow. very muddy every- where Went ap to support Freshes, Fritz firing with Ma Sutlin on our planes 15 planes over together, said to be Amenean. - There are many runors aftert as to one movements Went down to Kanmel in after Senrial shells fill within 5oyds of the HD.S. last night a number of fatiends with trench feet. TUESDAY8 1918 JAN. About. 20 pahients pased through several of them suffering from French feet. One patient reported sick - & the Mo decided to evacuabe him, he wanted to go back for his fack so the Mo. Hold him to get a for him mak to carry his pac, he went back & this eventing he was reported, killed on the wa There have been very few killed near hear lately 7344 Pt Turner J 1t Bn carrying patients & working on thes inside of gos chamber It from last night & snowed this morning; very keen wnid Generial Lestic called in
WEDNESDAY9 JAN. 1918 Seonal Generals & high officiels including Americans prased here on way to stidy the front snow fill hearily during day driving wind, working in it for a couple of nours. numbers of planes over during monning, I were driven down hear here by one of our machines loyd George in a speech stakes the war anns of the Allies. THURSDAY 10 JAN. 1918 snow thawing quickly Getting camontlage over the entrance to Dressing Stn- Ardllery active also and. aucraft. + docators saw 30 of our macknes. up at once Very clear in morning could see your flamily 4d5 m. away, with its ruined casheding sithonetted against the sky
JAN. FRIDAY II 1918 snow all melted, every where very meddy, not cold? Fixing cam onflage Went to Reldy post in Ouract Wood Much artillary fire a large number of Shells fell hear to one right. There Emile is a railway dump away. SATURDAY 12 1918 JAN. Mild - very muddy Frished camonflage - Niore sand bagging &c on 190s Augont, as Major Button is much impressed by the number of Ht comms over.- The batteries on our Righe have been shelled heavily by 9t this morning & aoou 2 Abxilery men killed & 2 bddly injured About 20 casuablies to day. In evening I walked down to Mt returning by car at 8.30. On its way down, a shell landed a few feat away covering the car with mnd & dxtinguisking, the light .The shill must have been fired at the railway the dhiver is going on leaved in a few days & he wwould have been Unfortunate H.R.SC pulled up for not sabution 2 officers- It is always coming out in orders re salieting, bit it goes against the grain with most Austar.
SUNDAYI3 1918 JAN. ist after Epiphany Mild weasher Seonal of the 3rd from MD S Went to Loce. I went down & h with a road of patients Fairly quiet day. One batting near us firing- An Aust mail in Received 12 letters from Sas 3 weeks mail up. & hov 244 MONDAY 14 JAN. 1918 Sen fell in the night, 2 or 3 hight fleccy snow, A fine day with bright Sushane Went down to focre at 2P7, rode part of way in Amb Wagon. Had &ca naw I. Read home letters just arrived - H.R is well againt Dad Smith evaciated to D.R.S. Ml. I redt to hiDS. at 6 PM & caugh car which comes. up to Wy Bschack eveny night remaining here till 8 Aby.r Dariing after an accedent occurred at a Wattery 150yds away They were firing shells, H.5 powitzer ad H set. intervals - a shell prematurely burst before it left the gun- The brack was blown out & the gun burled to some distance, while the crew in gun pit were terribly injured & bfacke one died ii dressing son, one badly wounded, another suffering from shill shock & one shipthtly wounded - Either a fanlhy shell or the gun run not.

JUNE 1918
At. Main dressing Station
Near Hondeghem 

JULY 1918
W 3 LM.
S 6 CHR.
S 7 J.C.
M 8 G.
Tu 9 West.

MD.S.
Near Hondeghem 

 

AUGUST 1918
Th 1 Quiestede (Ecques)
Tu 6 On train to Somme
W 7 Amiens
Th 8 Vaire
F 9 Bayon Villiers
S 10 Van Villiers
S 11 CCS
M 12 10th Bn RA.P.
Tu 13 9th Bn R.AP.
W 14 9th Bn Nr V. Villiers
Th 15 Bayon Villiers
F 16 Vaire
W 21 In Fields nr Somme.  

SEPTEMBER 1918 

 

OCTOBER 1918 

NOVEMBER 1918 

 

DECEMBER 1918 

MEMORANDA 

 

1918  TUESDAY 1  JAN.
New Years Day. Woke up in a
big dug out at the Main Dressing
Station between Kemmel & Wytschaete
on the Southern Belgian front - We
(C. Sect.) are attached to the 2nd F Amb
Very few casualties lately - Snow
covers the ground, but it is not very cold.
Leave from 3 P.M. to go down to
the D.R.S. at Locre for our Xmas dinner.
Held in the theatre of the Nunnery
which is being used as a hosp. - Several
visitors including the DD MS. - B. Pollard.
A sumptuous repast as follows,
Chicken Soup - Salmon Mayonnaise
Roast Beef  Roast potatoes  green peas
Roast Goose  boiled pot.  York ham.
Xmas pudding,  brandy sauce.
Peaches,  custard,  rock cakes
Beer  Lemon Squash  Cocoa  Coffee
Nuts  Sweets &  apples.
Toasts were drunk. to
The King. G.O.
The 3rd Fd Amb, the DDMS.
The Col & Officers.   W..O. 
The Visitors  Major Hall.
Our absent friends  Andy Chalmers
Silent  Darcy Dixon. 

JAN.  FRIDAY 4  1918
Fine clear & frosty.
Working on the dugout most
of day.
Walked up to the next
Relay post in Ouract Wood
St E loi & Passchendale lie
away to our left.
On a clear day can see
Lille & Menin from here.
Ypres is a few miles to the
North -
An Austn mail in the
first since Nov 29th. Received
3 cards, no letters from home,
Heard that Graham Gorringe
was killed in one of the Ypres
stunts. 

 

1918  SATURDAY 5  JAN.
Misty, not so cold
Went down to the M.D.S. to
see Col Kay about some timber.
Nearly finished the dug out
for gas cases, sandbagging, &
making fireplace.
Hear we are going out on 16th inst
The bread ration is one loaf for
7 men in future the issue
is to be 2/3 biscuits & 1/3 bread,
the men in the Line feel the
reduction. - The food is very
fair. We are fortunate in
getting porridge in mornings -
& bacon, stew for dinner &
occasionally rice for tea.
Several more Austn letters. 
JAN.  SUNDAY 6  1918
Walked down to Locre in aftn with
SR. & 2 others - Met Ol. who had
retd from Paris the previous day,
he had 9 days there, a most
enjoyable time - Made several
friends & went round a great deal.
part of the time with Ben Woolley
& also with a Scotchman of
the Legion d'Etrangers. -
Had tea at Locre & retd at
8 P.M. H.Reynolds still in bed
with trench fever. -
Finished roofing & sand bagging
the dug out this morning, &
emptied the water cart this
afternoon, had to put a fire
under the pipe to make the
taps run
2 Nurses were here this aftn.
They camen in a car to the ridge
near Kemmel, the first women
I have seen in the Line. - they
did not stay long. 

 

1918  MONDAY 7  JAN.
Slight rain fell in night
& the change has thawed all
the Snow. very muddy everywhere -
Went up to Support trenches,
with Maj Sutton - Fritz firing
on our planes.
15 planes over together, said
to be American - There are
many rumors afloat as to our
movements.
Went down to Kemmel in aftn
Several shells fell within
50 yds of the A.D.S. last night.
A number of patients with
trench feet. 

JAN.  TUESDAY 8  1918
About. 20 patients passed through
Several of them suffering from
trench feet. One patient reported
sick - & the MO decided to evacuate
him, he wanted to go back for his
pack so the M.O. told him to get a
mate to carry his pack for him, he wented
back, & this evening he was
reported killed on the way.
There have been very few killed
near here lately -
[*X*] - 7344 Pte Turner J 12th Bn
Carrying patients & working
on the inside of gas chamber
It froze last night & snowed
this morning, very keen
wind.
General Leslie called in. 

 

1918  WEDNESDAY 9  JAN.
Several Generals & high officials
including Americans passed
here on way to study the
front
Snow fell heavily during day
driving wind, working in
it for a couple of hours -
Numbers of planes over
during morning, 2 were driven
down near here by one of
our machines
Lloyd George in a speech
states the war aims of
the Allies. 

JAN.  THURSDAY 10  1918
Snow thawing quickly.
Getting camouflage over the
entrance to Dressing Stn -
Artillery active also anti-aircraft,
& aviators -
S
Saw 20 of our machines
up at once -
Very clear in morning, could
see Ypres plainly 4 or 5 m.
away, with its ruined cathedral
silhouetted against the sky 

 

1918  FRIDAY 11  JAN.
Snow all melted, everywhere
very muddy, not cold -
Fixing camouflage,
Went to Relay post in
Ouract Wood -
Much artillery fire, a
large number of Shells fell
near, to our right. There
is a railway dump ¼ mile
away - 

JAN.  SATURDAY 12  1918
Mild - very muddy -
Finished camouflage - More sand
bagging &c on gas dug out, as
Major Sutton is much impressed
by the number of H.E. coming
over. - The batteries on our Right
have been shelled heavily by 9.2"
this morning & aftn - 2 Artillery
men killed & 2 badly injured -
About 20 casualties to day -
In evening I walked down to MDS
returning by car at 8.30. On
its way down, a shell landed
a few feet away, covering the car
with mud, & extinguishing, the
light. - The shell must have
been fired at the railway,
the driver is going "on leave" in
a few days & he would have been
unfortunate -
H.R. & O. pulled up for not saluting
2 officers - It is always coming
out in Orders re. saluting, but
it goes against the grain with
most Austns. 

 

1918  SUNDAY 13  JAN.
Mild weather
Several of the 3rd from MDS went
to Locre - I went down to MDS
with a load of patients.
Fairly quiet day. One battery
near us firing -
An Aust mail in
Received 12 letters from Tas
3 weeks mail up to Nov 24.
↑
JAN.  MONDAY 14  1918
Snow fell in the night, 2" or 3" light
fleccy snow. A fine day with bright
sunshine.
Went down to Locre at 2 PM, rode
part of way in Amb. Wagon. Had tea
& saw O. Read home letters just
arrived - H.R is well again.
"Dad" Smith evacuated to DRS ill,
I retd to MD.S. at 6 PM & caught
car which comes up to Wytschaete
every night remaining here till
8 AM. for
During aftn an accident occurred
at a battery 150 yds away -
They were firing shells, 4.5 howitzer
at 4 Sec. intervals - A shell
prematurely burst before it left
the gun - The breech was blown
out & the gun hurled to some
distance, while the crew in gun
pit were terribly injured & blackened
One died in dressing Stn, one
badly wounded, another suffering
from shell shock & one slightly
wounded - Either a faulty
shell or the gun run hot. 

 
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