Diary of 2413 Driver Sidney James Miller, 1915 - Part 3

Stationary Hospital fine
big town.  Lovely view from 
it but weather dull and hazy.

Wed ^Jan 3^rd food not too good here.  
Thurs left no 3.S.H at 10.15 AM
for Blighty. ten mins in
mot: to boat. 'St Patrick"
sailed at 12-30 PM the senery
down river "Sienne" rather pretty

but weather dull & light rain.
passed "Le Havre" 6-45 PM then
boat began to roll, got
to Plymouth about midnight
went along side wharf 8-15 AM
Thu; 4^th entrained at 11 AM for
London, No 1 General. Birmingham
arrived 3.30 PM A5 ward.
Frid 5^th didn't see Doctor very

fine Hospital plenty of food.
Sat 6^th saw Doctor, very good.
Concert in evening 5PM till 7.30.
Sun: 7^th very quiet, plenty visitors.
Mon: 8^th Snowed all day.
Tue: 9^th went before Medical board
expect to go out any day.
Wed 10^th good concert by Carle
Doyle Opera Co:
Thu 11^th Very good concert by
The Empire.
Frid 12^th went for a walk in
afternoon
Sat 13 Concert.
Sun 14^th quiet day plenty of Visitors

Mon 15^th had pantomime here
Beauty & the Beast started at
2.30 PM finished 7.15 PM
Tue: 16^th concert but rather dry.
Wed 17^th spent afternoon & evening
in Birmingham.
Thu: 18^th spent day in bed.

Frid. 19^th nothing [[part?]] happened
Sat. 20^th went into Birmingham
Sun 21^st had another day out.
Mon 22^nd had the last good evening with P.
Tues 23^rd left for convalescence 3pm A.G.H.
Dartford A12. rather dull place ½ hours
walk into town.
Wed 24^th had walk into town allowed
out from 1.30 till 4.30.
Thu: 25^th J. Woods. went from here.
Mon: 29^th went on 14 days leave.
Feb: 13^th leave finished had to report
at "Perham" Downs 3.30 PM.
Feb 14^th Wed; went before Doctor to
be classified.
Thur 15^th was sent to Wereham
leaving Perham 12-15 PM had to

change Salisbury
Poole
Frid 16^th went before the Dental.

A sent to No2 Group 9 Company.

Sat 17 went for short walk &

done half hours exercise finished

at 11-45, for the day allowed in

town after 1PM.

Sun 18^th went on ASC. fatigue but

had nothing to do, went down town

in afternoon, about one mile.

Mon 19^th went before the Doctor

for Classification & was

put in B.1.A.2.

Tues 20^th on isolation Guard

Wed 21^st   "         "            "

Thur 22^nd  Riot started in camp

between Military Police & Soldiers

12.30PM "M.Ps" raided two up

school trying to take some

prisoners but the mob turned

on MPs with stones & bottles

one M.P & one Soldier got

 

 

Badly hurt, in the afternoon

it carried on again

the M.Ps. charging the mob

on horseback but was sent

back with a hail of stones, 
at night they broke into wet

& dry canteen, taking all they

could lay their hands on. &

rolled the casks of beer & St[[?ores]]

out & into the huts.

Frid 23^rd had muster parade

& speech was given by the

Camp Commandant, 1.30PM they

broke into the other wet canteen

& done the same as the other.

2.30PM had another muster a 

speech given by the head of

the Australian Troops, in the

evening a large picquet

was put on different places

me being on of them.

Sat 24^th had general muster

parade & interviewed by the 

general.

Sun: 25^th On escort had to take

prisoners for a walk.

Mon 26^th stand by escort

Tue. 27 had to be classified. B 1 A 3.

Wed 28^th went for short walk in morn

& had lecture by Graeme.

Thu 1^st Isolation Guard

Frid 2^nd had a rest

Sat 3^rd detention escort

Sun 4^th Isolation Guard.

Mon 5^th done nothing after Guard

Tues 6, escort prisoner.

Wed 7,    "           "

Thu 8 Guard snowed hard

4.30AM.

Frid 9 went for clasification

 

Sat 10^th Cooks fatigue

Sun 11^th Isolation Guard

Mon 12^th had a spell

Tues 13^th at night a fight in

the hut because ex MP &

one of the boys MP go a bad

knocking about.

Wed 14^th Cooks fatigue made

 myself permanent on this

job, as the camp was upside 
down they forming a 

new Division here.

Sun 18^th nothing done since Sat 17^th.

easy time no drills or fatigue's

up till Frid 23r^d

Wed 28^th Went to Perham again

May 9^th back to Wareham.

17th Thur. Went to Larkhill 28 Camp

5^th Unit RBIA.

May 30^th had 48 hours leave.

went home, had very good time.

June 1^st had allotment transferred

to Ferry Rd.

15^th Warned for draft.

18^th went through gas test,

June 9^th Will Searle left for front.

June 10^th left Sarkhill for France at

9.45PM got to Amesbury Station 11.30AM

train left 11.50AM arrived Southampton 1.30 PM.

waited on Quay till 5.10 sailed at 6.45

by "Annar Queen" very small paddle

boat & crowded, 230 in our draft &

mob of Tommies & London Scotties.

there were several seaplanes

about one came very low, the Pilot

leaned over the side & gave us

a wave, we passed Isle of Wight

7.15PM A Southsea 8.5PM the weather fine

arrived "Le Havre" 3.30AM June 20th [[?disemb?]]

7.15AM marched to Base 8.50AM arriving

 

At Camp 10.40AM being about 7 miles

21_st was going to gas test, but rained

heavy, left off raining so went to

'Bull ring' getting very wet.

22^nd Went to tear gas test

23^rd Went through riding test

24^th Warned for the firing line.

Rouelles Halls 6 miles from Le Harve

25^th Left for firing line at 9.50 arrived

Le Havre station 12.10 train left 4.10 PM

weather fairly fine heavy rain at night

we travelled in horse boxes 35 in each

had no sleep through the night as

there were hardly room to sit.

26^th arrived Saint Omer 1.15PM weather

fine arrived Hazelboch 2.35 PM arrive in

Steenwerck 5.15 PM went to 1st Sect A.A.C.

29^th transferred to 39th Battery.

30^th went into action.

July 2^nd moved waggon lines.

[*Wachlande Camp*]

nearer to guns, near Dieppe

Tue. 3.  A & D guns got blown

out, went up to fetch D gun

& take to ordinance.

Frid 6^th Picquet, very heavy bom
by us ] & Fritz started about 10 PM

between Messins & Armentieres, they

shelled our small arms factory

& blew it up, their aeroplanes

came over & dropped bombs

plenty of shells fell in & around

our lines, we had to stand

by the horses.

July 10^th Sat: received telegram

bearing Grave news.

10^th B. Gun blown out one

casualty drew out of pos,

11^th moved & went to Ypres

which was about nine miles

in afternoon Fritz plane

 

Burnt three of our observ.

baloons.

12^th Thu, received second telegram.

28^th June 1919. Dad passed away

5.40PM through Hemerage. Age 65.

13^th Fri took guns into position

the track very bad, & we got

shelled in several places on

the way, one shell exploded

in the middle of a team

blowing the horses & men

to pieces. left at 8 PM got back to

waggon line 3.15 AM.

14th Sat. got harnissed up to

take amun: to guns got up

the road & was brought back

as it was cancelled. Fritz

sent over gas getting 9 of the 38^th Bty

one died.

15^th Sun. 4.10 AM Fritz plane's came over dropped

Bombs on 110^th Bty waggon lines

which was in next paddock to us,

& killed 36 horses & wounding 21.

6.15 AM two of our guns blown out E & 

D. Wounded 4 of our chaps &

killed one. who's head & shoulder

could only be found, same

morning 38^th had 5 wounded.

Mon: 16th On Picquet.

Frid. 20^th Battery Orderly, had to go to

gun pits in morning, & evening

latter very unpleasant trip as Fritz

was shelling the track, which I

had to gallop through & trust to fate.

Sun 22^nd Fritz shelled our waggon

line blew up a limber but no casualt.

Mon 23^rd two of our gunners got

blown to pieces, only one leg

could be found of Gnr Maloney.

Tues 24^th three drivers were caught by

 

 

The Germans nerve gas, which

is know as the sneezing gas.

Thu: 26^th On Picquet

Sat 28^th Fritz sent over gas

which reached our waggon line.

Tues: 31^st 4.30 AM big stunt started on

the Ypres front, at 8.30 AM few Germ.

prisoners were brought past our

waggon line. Vierstraat.

it was a little quieter midday

then started again 3 PM, we were

firing full length of our range

but in evening we reduced range

300 yds. we couldn't get full

strength as to what advance

was made.

Wed 1^st Aug, very heavy rain,

conclude no good for stunt as

very quiet along line.

Thu, 2^nd raining hard waggon

line getting in a awful state

left off 11 AM started again 12.30

continueing the rest of day & night

Frid 3^rd still raining. On Picquet.

Sat. 4t^h anniversary of War. got payed

still raining hard. had heavy thunderstorm

5.30PM which cleared the wet [[?]]

Tues 7^th moved out of action went to

Sailly.

Wed: left Sailly went into action

again at "Hindenoex" this place

like the rest open camping no

shelter only what one can find

or make & weather very stormy

observation balloons & railway

very close making it dangerous

for us, as they drop bombs in

the night & shell them in day.

14^th Tue: _∧it O.P. two Fritz planes came

over after our balloon but didn't

 

Succeed but brought down

one of our observing planes

killing the observer & seriously

wounded the driver. Fritz also

put the machine gun on one of

the observation Officers as desc[end]

by parachute, but don't know result.

16^th Thu: got payed

17t^h Frid:  Fritz planes over nearly

all night dropping bombs all

around us.

18^th Sat. on of 'Fritz planes

brought down in flames 12.43 PM.

19^th Sun: good buisness two planes

brought down landed near 1st Line,

20^th Mon. went for walk up

Kemmel hill very good views

from here, see towns on Fritz

side with glasses, another place down

21^st Tues. usual visit by Fritz

very few bombs dropped near here

although we have plenty around

us to draw fire, we had to polish

the brass caps on the limbers &

waggon , which makes a great

target for the planes.

Thu: 23r^d pulled out of action

left at 9.0 AM for Sailly about 9 miles

Friday had easy day.

Sat. 25^th clean harness

Sun. 26^th got leave at 2 till 9 &

went :Estairs" 3 miles.

Thu. 30. on Picquet.

Frid 31^st Sub for duty, had a

full marching order route march

past the C.R.O. rained very

heavy.

Tue 4^th On Picquet. reville 5.30 AM &

left the place 6.30 AM at 12.10 PM arrived

at "Borrie".

 

 

Thu 6^th had leave into "Hazelbroek"

2½ miles fair big town.

Sat 9^th Right section left here

for firing line. received photo

Mon 10^th we left at 7 AM arriving at

Dickebush 3. AM weather fine, this

is about a mile from where we 

were before on the Ypres front.

Tues 11^th 12.30AM plenty shells fell around

killed 3 & wounded 7 of the 38^th Bty.

went up with amu on pack horse

starting 2.15AM in afternoon

Moved waggon line to "Ouderom"

Wed 12^th went with amu 2.15AM

getting back 9.45AM beeing 6 to 7 miles

Thu 13^th usual trip from "Hell Fire

Corner" to the pits were plenty

of dead horses & waggon blown 

to pieces.

Frid 14^th this morning there were

Several wounded beeing carried

out 3 had their legs blown

off.

Sat. 15^th early mornings beginning to

affect so went to Doc, had day spell

Sun. 16^th half holiday

Tues 18^th went with amu. 11PM got

back 6AM plenty of gas shells.

felt rather crook through same

Wed 19^th usual early trip, had

narrow escape from shells.

Thu 20^th stunt started, one of

our Officers killed & few gunners

wounded on picquet.

Frid 21^st two of our planes collided

& fell to earth the occupants

beeing killed.

Sat & Sun had afternoon spell.

Mon 24^th our advance continues

very good work done

 

 

Tue 25^th Fritz shelled heavily.

blowing the road to pieces

leading to our guns so we

had to turn back.

Wed 26^th had spell

Thur 27^th bombs dropped near camp

Frid 28^th saw terrible sight, while

at pits, Fritz dropped two bombs.

on Amu Com pounds  killed 15 wounded

21 some had legs, heads, & arms

Sat 29^th had spell

Sun 30^th Went with amu thing

very hot, glad when finished.

Sergeant in charge blown to pieces

Mon: Oct 1^st had another rough
time chap ten yards in front
got blown to pieces & both horse

Someone team just in front of

him also blown up.
Wed 10^th up to date same routine.

Thu 11^th moved waggon line

up closer, about 200 yds from
"Hell Fire Corner".

Frid 12^th  moved gun from

old position to new.

Sun. 14^th Went to pits with rations

Tues. 16th. 2-10 AM Fritz shelled our

horse lines killing 13 horses

1 man & 1 wounded.
Wed. 17^th  biusy day burying the

dead Horses.

Thu. 18^th Fritz shelled our horse lines

very heavy. had to clear with  them

then heavy thunder storm came on
getting wet to the skin. 2 men

wounded.  On Piquet.
Frid 19^th quiet day [[?]]. Rec: 1^st allot

Sat. 20^th  went with Amu line quiet.
Sun 21^st moved waggon line

1 & 2 miles back, as we were getting