Mixed papers relating to the service of James William Albert Simpson - Part 4

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1/7/16   Vaccination well taken.
Great effort required to perform any
duty.
2/7/16 Gra's Birthday - Presentation
by Captain Jermyn of a flag
to 33^rd Battalion. A Coy get
into finals in the cricket
match - beat D Coy and
AS.C Play C Coy for
premiership. A Coy win the
premiership.

5/7/16 A derelict appeared on
the horizon - proved to be a 
barque laden with timber. The
Swiftsure gave here a few
broadsiders. All N.C.O's appointed.
8/7/16 Destroyers appeared on
the horizon at 07.00 and
came into position in the convoy.

but special destroyer is the
"Larne" No 57. The fleet has
scattered and the Marathon
is well in the lead. The
Swiftsure left us signalling

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"Good-bye and good-luck", as she
left us. We expect to reach
England tomorrow.
9/7/16 Sighted Penzance at 10.00
and entered Plymouth Sound
at 12.30. The surroundings were
similar to those at Southampton.
Disembarked at 18.00 and
entrained. Passed through
Devonport Tavistock, Exeter
and arrived at Amesbury at
02.00. Detrained and marched
3 miles to Salisbury Plains. Here
is a gigantic camp. All men
and Officers are quartered in
huts.
10.7.16. Spent the day fixing
men up. Muster parade of the
Battalion 14.00. Daylight at
03.30 dark at 22.00. Sent
cable to Gra - wire to Scotland.
11.7.16 Paraded as usual under
new conditions. Men and
Officers live in wooden buildings
 

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Route march to Stonehenge in
the morning. Saw the old
Druid ruins just as they are
shown in the history books.
12.7.16 Route march through
beautiful England lanes.
Announced to men pay on
Saturday - 4 days leave from
Monday. Letters from
Australia - none for self.
7.7.16 Left Salisbury for Trowbridge
Bath, Gloucester and camped
at Kidderminster for the night.
18.7.16 Toured Wales passing
through Shrewsbury, Llangollen
Corwen, Bula, Dolgelly,
Aberystwyh, Rhayader, Builth
and Brecon. The Vale of
Llangollen and Brecon are
sights never to be forgotten.
202 miles for the day
19.7.16 Left Brecon and drove
through Abergavenny, Raglan,
Monmouth, Gloucester
 

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then on to Reading Maidenhead
and Windsor. Stayed at
Windsor Hotel and visited
Windsor Castle. 175 miles for
the day.
20.7.16. Drove through Slough to
HAREFIELD, thence on to
Staines, Uxbridge, Aldershot
and Farnham to Winchester.
Saw the famous Winchester
Cathedral. From Winchester
to Andover than Lark-Hill
totalling 120 miles.
28.7.16 Route march to Stonehenge.
tea in bivouac. Drove into
Salisbury at night
29.7.16 Saturday night drove to
Amesbury and Salisbury then
20 miles through the country.
Had a quiet night at the
White Hart Hotel.
30.7.16 Division Divisional
Church parade on old
Roman ruins conducted by
 

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Bishop of Salisbury. Had
charge of 33^rd Battalion and
marched past General Monash.
In the afternoon along with
Bea drove through New
Forest to Lyndhurst. In the New
Forest saw stone erected on the
spot where King Rufus was shot.
At Lyndhurst went into the
Church where Leighton's famous
picture is painted. "The Wise and
Unwise Virgins." The church is
quite beautiful. Received at
night a budget of letters from
Australia. The day altogether
was a most memorable and
happy one.
31.7.16. General Slater G.C.
Southern Command visited the
Battalion. Company in Attack
carried out.
1.8.16 Mess night. Senator
McDougall, Col Mansbridge
Col Abbott present at Mess
 

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Drove into Salisbury after mess
and spent a quiet time at
County Hotel. The little stream
beside this quaint hotel is very
beautiful.
2.8.16 Training in trenches. The
Coy taken through system of trenches
for explanation.
4.8.16 In charge of Battalion
inspected by General Monash.
Lecture at D.HQ on Military
Law and King's Regs
5.8.16 Brigade Field Officer
Major Massie thrown from
his horse. Lecture on Entrenching
6.8.16 In charge of Battalion
at Brigade Church parade.
Went into Salisbury - drove
with Bea to Southampton
dined at the County Hotel.
Broke all previous records
7.8.16 Work for the day strenuous
Company in the trenches.
 

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8.8.16 2^nd in Command of the
Battalion. All companies
training in the trenches.
7-8.16 Relief of companies in
the trenches. Route march to
Amesbury. Company paid.
Lecture on Lewis Gun.
.8.16 A & B Coys on Rifle
Range all day commencing
Musketry. Warned by Brigadier
e new position.
1.8.16 Rifle range with A & B
Coys. Lecture by G.S.O No 1
on Open and Trench Warfare.
2.8.16 Innoculated for
para - typhoid. 48 hours
spell
13.8.16 Lecture on Trenches by
Col Clogsun
14.8.16 Rifle Range with A & B
Coys
15.8.16 Individual Field practices
by A & B Coys. No 3 platoon
58 hits is tops.
 

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16.8.16 Rifle Range A & B
17.8.16 Company Training
18.8.16 March to Beache's Barn
Field firing by A and B Coys
Average 26% for hits. No 3
platoon 55% Generals Monash
and Jobson, Colonels Kettlewell
watch the shooting
19.8.16 Court Martial of 2
Members of 36^th Battalion, 3
Members 35^th Battalion. I am
president. Capt McDouall and
Lieut Armstrong Members
20.8.16 Lecture on Food economy
by Quartermaster Generals
representative - splendid oratory.
21.8.16 } Occupy the trenches for
22.8.16} 48 hours. Lieut Francis
of Albury visited me. Relieved
by B Coy 23.8.16
23.8.16 Went to Weymouth to
Signalling demonstration for
Senior Officers. arrived there
midnight
 

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24.8.16 Spent the day at Weymouth
with senior Officers of Southern
Command. Signalling demonstration
poor. Returned to Camp 9 p.m.
Weymouth rather a pretty spot.
25.8.16 In the trenches for 12 hours
26.8.16} Court Martial of Sgt's
28.8.16} Parnell, Beaton, Morrow
Cpl Johnson, Ptes Ingle
and Parry, and Sapper
Gascoyne R. Engineers
Gave sentences from 14 days up to
6 months imprisonment 
29.8.16 Raining heavily, Musketry
carried out in huts.
12.9.16 Inspected by General French
14.9.16 Went to bombing demonstration
at Lyndhurst. Stayed at
Salisbury on the return - met
G. Thornburrow - had an enjoyable
evening
15.9.16 Went for a drive in car to
Salisbury, then on through
New Forest to Lyndhurst. Rosy
E. McGuire, G. Thornburrow and self
 

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had a splendid trip.
16-9-16 Church parade 7 a.m
Promulgation of G.C.M of Pte
Leslie - 2 years imprisonment
17-9-16 Raining in morning - parade
in huts. Brigade Drill in the
afternoon
18-19-20-21 Brigade billeting
scheme at Chitterne St Mary
34^th 35^th, 36^th Battalion make
an attack on 33^rd Battalion.
The whole show a fiasco on the
part of the enemy. Australian
mail handed to us in billets.
22-9-16 Parades on own parade
ground
23-9-16 Brigade sports in the
morning 33^rd won the tug of war.
Afternoon Rugby match Officers
V NC.Os I played but did
not like the game. How the
Australian rule people would
rouse if they knew.
24.9.16 Church parade 7 a.m
Lecture by General Monash