Diary of George Booley, 5th Battalion, AIF, 1917, Part 14 of 19

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1917.
37th Week.
(255-110)

On a Bde stunt from 8 AM
till about 4 PM. as far as I
could see few knew what
they were doing, in the evening
we prepared to move
in the morning I was told
to take the party of reserve
Sigs & go as one myself, meaning
I am not to go into the
stunt.
 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1917.
37th Week.
(256-109) Moved through Doulieu
Meteran & Fletre to a place
near Caestre, all the Bn reserves 
moved to here including
brass & bugle bands, personally 
I felt more like sneaking
down some back way instead
of marching through Villages
with bands blearing forth, I
cannot take kindly to being
out while the Bn are in the
line, & it hurt terribly to be
left out, no doubt they think
they are doing me a good turn
& I can understand it is only
my dues to be left out.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1917.
37th Week.
(257-108)

Put in the day getting the
Camp in order & in the
evening I went for a walk
to drive away dull care
& to try & get a feed as the
rations here are what is
known as “fluctuating
rations”, I feel like a lost
soul here & I wish they
would send for me to go
to the Bn
 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1917.
37th Week.
(258-107)

In the morning we had
a route march for 2½ hours
& in the afternoon there was
no parade we are getting real
unionists these day, no work
Saturday afternoon, I went
for a walk round the Country
& got to No 1 Stationary Hospit
Casuality Clearing Station
& met some of the old Sisters
I went to Bailleu with 4
of them to a Concert party
in there, the party were the
same as I saw at Merricourt
in Jan 9th, after the entertainment
we went back to the C.C.S &
had dinner I arrived at Camp
at 11-P.M. once again our Sisters
have proved great sports.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1917.
38th Week.
(259-106) 15th after Trinity.       LESSONS.
Matins—2 Kings xviii.; 2 Corinthians viii.
Evensong—2 Kings xix. or xxiii. to v  31; Mark xiii v 14. 

Church parade in the morning, 
Happy came down from
the Bn & brought me down
a sheaf of letters, in the afternoon 
there was a scratch
game of football.
 

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1917.
38th Week
(260-105)

We did a bit of a parade
in the morning & nothing
more all day, heard in
the evening my name had
gone in for leave

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1917.
38th Week.
(261-104)

Leave pass to hand in
the afternoon so I got
packed & went to Caestre
station there to be told
I had to wait till 2.15
AM tomorrow
 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1917.
38th Week.
(262-103) Ember Day.

Left Caestre 3AM, went to
Calais & after a meal there
went aboard & crossed to
Dover, a rough passage
nearly every one sick I
wanted to be myself, arrived
in London about 5 P.M.
got paid, a change of clothes
& had a shower & a meal
then had about an hours
walk round & started
for Kings X on the Tube,
left Kings X at 10.30 P.M
for Scotland on the flying
Scotchman

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1917.
38th Week.

Our Bn did their big stunt.
(263-102) Arrived in Edinburgh
at 8.AM. went & had a
wash & feed then started
for Dunfermline where
I arrived at about 3 P.M
& soon found Mollies
place, the remainder of
the day was spent in yarning
& going for a bit of a walk
through the Town & around
the gardens & glen made by
Carnegie the Millionaire, he
was born in this little town
& spends money lavishly on
it, the glen & gardens are
fine, the glen puts one in mind
of parts of Victoria only the
ferns are small, the gardens
have a fine Bandstand & lawns
 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1917.
38th Week.
(264-101)  S. Matthew Ap.  Ember Day.  LESSONS.
Matins — 1 Kings xix. v 15; 2 Corinthians xii. v 14 & xiii.
Evensong—1 Chronicles xxix. to v 20; Mark xv. v 42 & xvi.

Went to pictures in evening
the day we spent very quietly
yarning (Molly & I) & reading
anything I could get in the
way of news of how the Boys
were doing in the big fight
It is a great change to have
a good bed to sleep in & be
able to change clothes for Pyjamas
of a night after a hot Bath
it seems too good to be true.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1917.
38th Week.
(265-100) Ember Day.

Just put in a quiet day
in the afternoon we went to
do some shopping & then went
down the Glen, just about a week
ago the Carnegie Orchestra stopped
playing in the Gardens, he keeps
this professional Orchestra going
all the year round, we also
visited the Carnegie free
Library, in the Evening we
went to the Pictures, they were
continuous & we were sitting
well in front & trying to get out
without making ourselves a
nuisance to anyone & little Jean
set up a wail in her best Scotch
"Mummy I lost ma Hanky " causing
some amusement to the audience
 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER. 23, 1917.
39th Week.
(266-99) 16th after Trinity. LESSONS.
Matins—2 Chronicles xxxvi.; Galations ii
Evensong—Nehemiah i. & ii. to v 9 or viii.; Luke i. 
v 26 to v57.

Took Jean for a walk in the
morning out towards the Golf
Links, she said that was the
way we had to go & her word was
law. The Chimney took fire giving
Molly a big fright & as I did not
know how to completely close off
the draught I had to race up
to the people on the next floor &
ask by this time the fire was out.
At night went to Church & caused
a stir by walking down the aisle
to the Ministers pew with his
Daughter judging by the looks
Australians don't often visit they
Church & being one of the few men
in the congregation was afraid K2 to try
& reach the top notes for fear of doing so in
the wrong place

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1917.
39th Week.
(267-93)

Left Dunfermline for Glasgow
at midday arrived at about
3.30. PM, this was the Glasgow
hade autumn Holiday & every place
was closed P. Offices included, a few
days before I had posted a letter to
Maxwells from Bill but omitted to take a copy
of the address, well I set out to find
Maxwells in Glasgow (of whom there
were many) I remembered their
district & met a Gentleman
who went with me on an amateur
detective tour & we finally had
to resort to the Police Station where
the Voters roll was gone through
while the Gentleman Took me
Home to tea & the required information
sent over the phone, I reached
Maxwells about 8.PM. & stopped the night
 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1917.
39th Week
(268-97)

Had a good run round Glasgow
first in the morning by myself
& in the afternoon with Mr. Maxwell, 
we went all over the place
down one side of the Clyde & up the
other passing all the shipbuilding
yards & there are a lot of ships being
built there at present, one just
launched the first standard ship,
we then went into a Park which
overlooks the City but the view
was not too good owing to smoke
& haze. In the Evening Miss
Maxwell played & sang & we
put in a pleasant evening
which did not terminate till
1.30 in the morning

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1917.
39th Week.
(269-96)

Went to Loch Lomond but
owing to being up so late last
night made the most of my bed
this morning making it rather
late starting for the Loch, I
went out by myself on the
tram after leaving Dalmuir
till you get nearly to Balloch
you pass through lovely Country.
Things were very quiet on the
Loch but I was too late to go for
a Boat trip, it is a lovely spot
the top of Ben Lomond was hidden
in the clouds. In the evening
Jeans Friend came & we spent
a pleasant evening until train
time when all hands went
to the Stn with me
 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1917.
39th Week.
(270-95)

Arrived in London at 8.A.M.
after travelling all night with
congenial companions, Sailors
of the some destroyers they
were very lively. One of the first
I met in London was Jack
Smith, he was going out to see
one of his Uncles who was to
show him round London I did
a little business & then went
to Shepherds Bush but could
not stop long as I had to go to
dinner with Sister Dickson
& afterwards to the theatre we
had a fine little evening & finished 
up with supper, I went
to her Boarding house & slept
for the night. 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1917.
39th Week.
(271-94)

Did some shopping &
in the afternoon went & had
a look at St. Pauls Cathedral
it is well worth seeing, it was
different to what I expected it,
having many statues etc in it.
At night I had dinner with
Sister Dickson & then to the
Opera, “The marriage of Figaro”
it was very nice, the scenes
being very pretty & the music
very fine, there was an Air raid
warning but the Bosches did
not reach London proper. After
supper I went to Torrington
Square for the night.
 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1917.
39th Week
(272-93) S. Michael & All Angels. Michaelmas Day.
LESSONS-- Matins— Genesis xxxii.; Acts xii. v 5 to v 18.
Evensong— Daniel x. v 4; Revelation xiv. v 14.

Left London at 8 AM. for Dover
on return journey, did not
leave Dover until 5.P.M. seeing
many Aust wounded being
entrained at Dover, it was dark
when we reached Calais, we
stayed there for the night & all
night long were worried by
Bosche aeroplanes & anti aircraft 
guns, we could also
hear the guns going at Blighty
so they must have gone there
again if so it was the 4th raid
for the week, the people of London 
are thinking very seriously 
over these raids especially
the Foreign Element.