Diary of George Booley, 5th Battalion, AIF, 1917, Part 13 of 19

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23,  1917. 
34th Week. 
(235-130) 

Had a wander round 
some of the Hospitals & saw 
one of our fellows also a chap  
named Brown a Brother-in-law 
of MC Vickers of Underbool, he is  
badly wounded & not expected  
to pull through, I finished  
up at No 2 at kick out 
from 10 oclock, got a ride 
Home inside the Bus those  
on top were wet through, when  
I got to Camp everyone was  
looking for a dry spot as  
there was about a foot of  
water running through  
the tents, many of the tents 
& Marquees came down  
making plenty of work for  
1^st Anzac duty corps 


FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1917. 
34th Week. 
(236-129) S. Bartholomew. LESSONS. 
Matins - Genesis xxviii. v 10 to v 18: 1 Corinthians iv. v 18 & v. 
Evensong - Deuteronomy xviii. v 15: Matthew xxviii. 
  
A very rough day wind & 
rain I again finished up  
at No 2 at kick out time,  
but had to walk Home.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1917. 
34th Week 
(237-128) 

Spent the morning loafing 
around camp & after dinner 
went the rounds of the Hospitals, 
at No 2 there were sports 
at which we had afternoon  
tea with the Sisters, then 
dinner, followed by a fine 
Dramatic Concert, it was   
a fine turnout, we then 
filled in till kick out  
time with the Sisters at 
the mess, it was like leaving  
Home, it has been more 
than half of the Holiday 
to be able to go there, we 
missed the Bus & had to  
walk back to Camp. 
  

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 1917. 
35th Week. 
(238-127) 12th after Trinity. LESSONS. 
Matins - 1 Kings xxii, to v 41 : 1 Corinthians vii. to v 25 
Evensong - 2 Kings ii. to v 16 or iv. v 8 to v 38; Mark i. v 21. 

The end of a fine 14 days has 
arrived we packed & moved 
at midday to Wimmereaux  
being Sunday everyone turned 
out to see us off, the  
little Khaki Girls lined the  
streets & shook hands as 
we passed the Frenchies  
threw fruit to us & the Sisters 
threw Cigarettes some of No 2  
Sisters came to the Stn & there 
was a great send off, the Lads 
cheered everyone for the good  
time given us; about 11 PM 
we disentrained at Strazeele, 
it was raining so we  
camped in the Goods shed

MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 1917. 
35th Week. 
(239-126) 

Marched to 1^st Div 
Reinforcement Camp for 
breakfast then on to the 
Bn which we reached 
at dinner time. Harry  
came down to see me & 
stayed till late, it was 
a wet afternoon, I was  
pleased to get several 
letters on arrival. 
  

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1917. 
35th Week 
(240-125) 

No parade, so we just 
filled in time in the YMCA 
just playing draughts & 
writing letters, very rough 
& wet weather

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST  29, 1917. 
35th Week. 
(241-124) 

No parade most of the day 
I spent in putting Blanco  
on my equipment & polishing 
up the brass work 
swearing & growling all 
the time, it goes against 
a very strict rule we used 
to observe only to the  
brass work glittering  
in the Sun. Harry came 
down in the evening but 
it was spoilt by us having 
to go out for a march 
at 8.30. PM. returning  
at 10.30. 
  

THURSDAY, AUGUST  30, 1917. 
35th Week. 
(242-128) 

The morning we had 
no parade but in the  
afternoon went out for a  
bit of practice & in the 
evening played draughts  
& wrote letters.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1917. 
35th Week. 
(243-122) 

The morning parade 
was a 3 1/2 hours route 
march with packs up it 
should have been but we 
received wrong orders &  
went out in fighting order 
so were on the right side 
of the joke, in the afternoon 
we had a practice march 
out parade, a big mail 
came in & in the evening  
I got busy picking up 
lost ground in my correspondence. 
  

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1917. 
35th Week. 
(244-121) 

Morning parade we did a 
little flag practice & the afternoon 
was a half holiday, a 
couple of chaps went out helping 
French Cockies to get their harvest  
in, the weather has been 
so bad that much hay is being 
spoiled in the paddocks. I 
put in most of the afternoon & 
evening writing letters, I have 
sent away about a dozen letters 
this last couple of days.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1917. 
36th Week. 
(245-120) 13th after Trinity. Lessons. 
Matins - 3 Kings v. ; 1 Corinthians xii. to v 28 
Evensong - 2 Kings vi. to v 24 or vii. ; Mark vi. to v 1 1. 

About a quarter of an hours Church  
parade & nothing else doing 
the rest of the day. In the  
afternoon we played draughts  
& wrote letters & in the   
evening we had a game 
of Cricket & then went  
to the service in the 
YMCA 
  

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1917. 
36th Week. 
(246-119)  

Parades morning & 
afternoon just the same 
old parades, in the evening 
we had a game of cricket 
We were kept awake for hours 
last night with aeroplanes 
& anti aircraft guns, today  
the Hun was trying to 
knock some of our Balloons 
down with long range guns 
but did not manage it.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1917. 
36th Week. 
(247-118) 

Parade in the morning but  
none in the evening owing to 
a night march which I got out 
of. In the evening the Sigs 
played the rest of the detail 
Cricket & had a good win. 
About 10 o'clock a Hun plane 
came over dropping Bombs 
as it came & dropped four  
within 300 yds of our billet 
doing no more damage 
than rooting up a few beams 
  

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1917. 
36th Week. 
(248-117) 

Morning & afternoon parades 
in the morning the Hun aeroplanes 
were busy, they were 
taking advantage of a slight 
heat haze. Played the details  
cricket again this time they 
beat us. Bill Woods Brother  
came up to see me. 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1917 
36th Week 
(249-116) 

Started out for the usual 
parade & after a march round 
had to return & go to rifle range 
but could not shoot in the  
morning & had to go back 
in the afternoon losing 
the half days off scored the 
Coys, I shot only fair, in 
the evening we had a heavy 
thunderstorm, all day 
the guns were going all along 
the line there is a rumour 
out that our people were 
bombarding Lille. 
  

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1917. 
36th Week. 
(250-115) 

It broke my heart completely 
today to think that after 
3 years of Soldiering I had 
to put the pack up & go a 
15 mile march just by  
way of exercise, however 
I got through it pretty 
well considering it was 
a close muggy day. Pay  
day again.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1917. 
36th Week. 
(251-114) 

Had a bath in the morning  
& in the afternoon did 
nothing 

  
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1917. 
37th Week. 
(252-113) 14th after Trinity. LESSONS. 
Matins - 2 Kings ix. ; 2 Corinthians i, to v 23. 
Evensong - 2 Kings x. to v 32 or xiii ; Mark ix. v 30. 
  
Church parade in morning 
in the afternoon our football 
team played & beat the 
3^rd Field Ambulance, it 
was a very easy win, after 
the match we 6 of us retired to an 
Estaminet & had a good feed  
ordered earlier in the day, it 
was 2 fowls (roast) potatoes  
cabbage, beer for drinkers  
& soft drinks & Coffee for  
teetotallers, then a church 
Service brought us to the 
end of a perfect day, we had 
a good sing-song after the 
service, the YMCA has a small  
portable organ

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1917. 
37th Week. 
(253-112) 

Parade in morning 
but none in afternoon in 
anticipation of a night  
parade but this was  
cancelled at the last minute,  
in the evening the  
details team played & 
defeated A. Coy cricket 
very easily. 
  
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1917. 
37th Week. 
(254-111) 

In the morning the  
Bde gas Officer gave a lecture 
on Mustard gas he says  
there is nothing to be afraid  
of etc so of course the only thing  
to do is take it that he is 
right.  In the afternoon the 
details played & easily beat 
the Officers of the Bn Cricket 
there was a night parade in  
which we did not participate.