Diary of George Booley, 5th Battalion, AIF, 1917, Part 18 of 19

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1917. 
48th Week 
(333-32) 

Morning & afternoon 
parades but nothing 
else doing.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1917. 
48th Week.
(334-31) S. Andrew, Ap.  S. Andrew's Day LESSONS. 
Matins—Isaiah liv. ; John i. v 35 to v 43. 
Evensong—Isaiah lxv. to v 17 ; John xii. v 20 to v 42. 

Apart from parades there is 
not much to relate, we got 
paid, a most important function 
in the Army especially 
now we live in a Town. 
Hap & I went down to the station 
& met the Girl coming from  
Samer with a big basket 
of beer.  

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1917. 
48th Week. 
(335-30)  

Today I broke two records,  
it was the Girls_^ 17th birthday & we 
decided as she does a lot for 
us that we would give her 
a present, we promenaded 
the square & purchased & fine 
little gold brooch, when we 
made the presentation she followed 
the French custom & kissed us all 
on both cheeks (record no 1, first Girl 
to kiss me in France). Later in the 
evening Madam set a little 
supper & we had to drink the  
Girls health in wine, (record 
no 2. first drink of anything 
strong for years, something 
like 9 I think, but my 
memory is not too reliable

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1917. 
49th Week. 
(336-29) 1st in Advent.       LESSONS. 
Matins—Isaiah i ; 1 Peter iv. v 7 
Evensong—Isaiah ii. or iv. v 8 ; John xii. v 20. 

Church parade same as usual 
I have often written on the mockery 
of it all so wont do so now, 
you can judge my disgust when 
I say the wind had a temperature 
of somewhere near zero, after 
all that we went up & had 
photos taken, first all the 
NCOs & men who served with 
the Bn on the Peninsula, then 
the H.Q. Sig section, we were 
posing for about half an  
hour & I am afraid the tears 
in myeyes from the cold 
will show up, people will 
say I must be Homesick  

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1917. 
49th Week.
(337-28) 

Today we had a good 
old march, it was not 
too bad as the day was 
bitterly cold, it was the first 
decent frost for the year, ice 
being on the ground all day 
accompanied by a very 
cutting wind, the only thing 
that spoiled the day was 
they did some kind of a 
stunt to finish up with 
from my point of view it 
was a waste of good time 
& was pretty cold standing 
about, we marched 
about 20 kilometres. 
Sgt Dixon went to Hospital 
  

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1917. 
49th Week. 
(338-27) 

First go off we went 
up & had our gas helmets 
tested, after that we went 
up to the Baths & had a 
real good splash around, 
it is a grand baths the  
water being fine & warm. 
The afternoon there was a  
football match. Boulogne 
Bombed this afternoon.  

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1917. 
49th Week. 
(339-26) 

Parade in the morning but 
nothing doing in the afternoon. 
In the evening I went up the 
town for some meat & took the two 
Kiddies, in the Square I passed a 
motor load of Aust Sisters who were 
highly amused to see me with 
the two Kiddies. This evening 
is like Xmas eve in Aust the 
Kiddies have their stockings hung 
up, tomorrow is like Xmas day, 
this evening & tomorrow is  
the Madamoiselles Fėte day 
& they have the privilege of 
kissing the men, tonight 
the Madam & Girl gave 
us a small packet of lollies 
& sweets for which we had 
to pay by kissing them.  

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1917. 
49th Week. 
(340-25) 

St. Nicholas day, it was 
a treat to see the Kiddies this 
morning Madam filled their 
stockings with various articles 
& put the finishing touch on by wrapping 
up a small piece of coal also 
a potato, the Kiddies eyes were sparkling 
& then they came to the spud the 
old Lady said "oh Bon from St Nicholas 
for soup" it was funny to see the 
doubtful look on their faces although 
they said it was "Bon", in pre-war 
times it is a great Fėte day 
much like Xmas day to us 
but of course now days is 
very quiet, the Young Ladies 
not finding many single men 
to kiss. Some events of Bde sports 
in which our team won.  

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1917. 
49th Week. 
(341-24) 

Bde Sports the day was 
anything but good, I strolled 
up for a few minutes in the 
morning the ground was very 
slippery & the attendance not 
more than 200, our Bn finished 
second for the cup in the 
Athletic events, in yesterdays 
events we won the 
cup that was for training 
events.   

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1917. 
49th Week. 
(342-23) 

Bill & I went for an 
outing, we had leave from 12 
noon till 8. P.M., we went into 
Boulogne in Tot Booleys Bus 
& on reaching Boulogne we 
got the tram for Wimmereux. I 
visited No. 2 General Hospital 
& then Wimmereux, we returned 
to the Hospital to see Sister 
Byrne, the three then went 
to Wimmereux & had tea, 
this just about cut out our 
time & we had to rush 
back to Boulogne & do a 
little shopping for Madam 
& finished up at the Bus at 
a quarter to 8. we arrived 
back at Desves about 10 PM  

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1917. 
50th Week. 
(343-22) 2nd in Advent.    LESSONS. 
Matins—Isaiah v. ; John ii v 15 
Evensong—Isaiah xi. to v 11 or xxiv. ; John xvii. 
  
We paraded in the Square 
for inspection but no church 
Parade, it was a miserable 
wet day so I made good 
use of our little Home which 
we are afraid of losing soon.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1917. 
50th Week. 
(344-21) 

Parade cancelled today 
so that we could gather up 
our belongings ready for a  
move, I was down packing  
the Panniers & missed my  
job of billeting NCO, Bill 
went in my place. 

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1917. 
50th Week. 
(345-20) 

Started on our journey to the line left 
Desves with many regrets, the people 
took the parting badly many of them 
shedding tears, the Bn were very solemn 
& thoughtful on the way to Ledinghem 
I was thinking their thoughts must 
be varied some recollections of good times 
others of wild escapades etc, it was 
like leaving Home, we arrived at 
Ledinghem at 1.30 & at 3 o'clock were on 
the way back to Desves (Hap & I) we 
got there on bikes in an hour, it caused 
some excitement when we arrived,  
we came in for much kissing 
& much attention, we had a good 
meal & as all hands _^were persuading 
us to sleep for the night needless 
to say they won & we turned in  
between clean sheets. 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1917 
50th Week. 
(346-19) 

Moved to Elnes & arrived 
about midday it was about the 
fastest march we have done, we 
had only 2 spells between leaving 
& arriving. We had our second 
parting from Desves, we had one 
false awakening at 2. AM. & the Madamoiselle  
came & said not to get up, 
we were up at 5 & Madam & Rufine 
were up & gave us Coffee & something 
to eat, we arrived back at the 
Bn in under an hour & found 
everyone in bed none the wiser 
that we had been away all  
night.  

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1917. 
50th Week. 
(347-18)
 
Reveille at 1. AM. & moved 
at 3 AM. to Wizernes which was 
nearly 3 hours march, there we 
had breakfast & entrained,  
arrived at a station near 
Kemil about midday & went 
into a Camp near that Village 
the place around here is 
much quieter than any 
part of the front yet that 
we have been in, that is 
of course with the exception 
of Fleurbaix, in the evening 
I went & saw some of the 
old 5th Chaps in the 57th. 

FRIDAY,  DECEMBER 14, 1917. 
50th Week. 
(348-17) 

Some of us moved up 
to the line in the morning 
to take over, the Bde Transport  
got lost & delayed the 
others considerably, we found 
the front here very quiet 
& nothing like as desolate 
as other fronts we have 
been on, there one sees trees 
& parts of hedges also the 
walls of houses, out in 
front of us can be seen a  
couple of fair sized villages 
both the Huns & us have 
excellent opportunities for 
observation. The take over 
was good & we relieved 
the 59th. 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1917. 
50th Week. 
(349-16) 

Spent the day doing 
one thing & another, the 
instruments have been 
giving some trouble but 
we are getting into our 
stride. Our Home is a  
Capola with about 2 ft 
of Concrete, where pill boxes 
are taken into consideration 
it is not looked on as 
a fort but will do me  
for a home, being dry 
& fairly warm, in the 
abounding paddocks there 
are vegetables to be had 
for the gathering, no doubt 
sown by the Huns. Reports 
of unusual railway 
activity on our front 

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1917. 
51st Week. 
(350-15) 3rd in Advent    LESSONS. 
Matins—Isaiah xxv. ; Jude 
Evensong—Isaiah xxvi. or xxviii. v 5 to v 19 ; John xxi. 

Nothing much doing today,  
just the same few shells flying 
about, aeroplanes around & 
the usual routine here. The 
strange part of it is our people 
are expecting an attack 
here & this is something like 
the calm before the storm, 
we are taking no chances 
here, our little crew are 
seeing that they have plenty 
of Ammunition in case he 
comes, he would soon 
reach us if he got through 
in force, whether he can 
do that or no remains to 
be seen, if he does he wont 
be the only one in the argument 

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1917. 
51st Week. 
(351-14) Oxford Michaelmas Term ends. 

Another quiet day, in the 
morning we had a slight 
fall of snow but hardly 
enough to make a snowball,  
it is fairly cold.
 

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1917. 
51st Week. 
(352-13) 

A very cold day, the  
ground was frozen hard 
by night, much to my surprise 
Harry walked in 
about dinner time, he had 
a fair trip from Belgian Chateau 
he is fed up with his Regt. 
& wants to come here & 
wants me to claim him me  
being the older Brother. 
As soon as it was dusk 
Bill & I went over the 
line & had a good trip.