Diary of George Booley, 5th Battalion, AIF, 1918, Part 4

MARCH—1918. 
2 Saturday—Sun rises 6.46, sets 5.38.

Went to Hendersons in  
the morning, the Maxwells  
having to go away  
for the week end owing  
to the Dr ordering  
Mr Maxwell away for  
a spell, he has been  
in indifferent health
result of a railway  
accident. Saturday
We went for a stroll  
round in the afternoon  
& then went  
to some of their friends  
place Baxters, they  
proved to be a happy  
couple & the evening  
was over before we  
knew it.
  

MARCH - 1918.
3 Sunday - 3rd in Lent.
Mg. - Gen. xxxvii. Mark vi. 1-14
Evg. - Gen. xxxix. or Gen. xl. Rom. xii.

Went to Church in the  
morning with Mr Henderson 
Currie & Chrys.
In the afternoon we  
went for a walk of about
6 miles it was very  
nice, on returning  
we went to Curries to
see the little Boy there  
who was very anxious  
to see us, he had heard  
his Mother say we  
were dark & was very  
much disappointed when he found we  
were not black.

MARCH—1918.
4 Monday—Sun rises 6.42, sets 5.42.

In the morning went  
with Mrs. Henderson  
to the Butchers & he  
took such a fancy to  
us that he allowed  
us over our ration of  
meat & finished up  
by giving us two  
haggis. In the afternoon   
we went into  
the City to do a bit  
of shopping, the  
evening we spent  
quietly at the House
it being our last  
there, although  
strangers to them the
Hendersons have treated  
us right royally.
  

MARCH—1918.
5 Tuesday—Sun rises 6.40, sets 5.43.

In the afternoon we  
went to Dunfermline  
to Mollies place & on  
arrival there found  
that Stan was coming  
that night, he duly  
arrived, I was surprised  
to see him so fit, he  
is as fat as a porker  
& more like his Father  
in looks every day.
Naturally it was  
into morning when we  
went to bed.
This is the third  
reunion of Stan  
Harry & Myself.

MARCH—1918.
6 Wednesday—Sun rises 6. 38, sets 5.45.
0h 44m Morn.

Went & registered under  
the food act again at
Dunfermline, & the  
three of us went for a  
walk through the Glen
In the evening we all  
went to the Pictures  
I caused some amusement  
to a few by carrying  
the Baby, after  
the pictures supper  
& more talk.

  
MARCH—1918.
7 Thursday—Sun rises 6.36, sets 5.46.

Did nothing in the  
morning & in the afternoon  
the three of us accompanied  
by the  
Baptist minister saw the  
sights of Dunfermline.  
In the evening we  
did nothing but talk.
My spare time I put 
in minding the Baby.  

MARCH—1918.
8 Friday — Sun rises 6.34, sets 5.48.

Went for walk in  
the afternoon.  
In the evening  
Stan & Harry went to  
a Theatre & I stayed  
& kept Molly company
This being the last  
evening here we  
all sat yarning till  
late again.  
It snowed in the 
evening
  

MARCH—1918.
9 Saturday—Sun rises 6.31, sets 5.50.

Left Dunfermline in  
the evening for London  
& met Happy at  
Edinburgh returning  
from Belfast & Glasgow  
we got good seats in  
the train & got pillows  
& rugs making ourselves  
comfy.  

MARCH—1918.
10 Sunday—4th in Lent.
Mg.— Gen. xlii. Mark ix. 30.
Evg.—Gen. xliii. or Gen. xlv. 1 Cor. iii.

In the morning I went  
to see Sister Dick.
In the afternoon 
we Harry, Hap & I went  
through Hyde Park  
Rotten Row to the  
Albert Hall where  
there was a fine
Orchestral Concert,  
I would have enjoyed  
it much more if I  
had not been so  
sleepy. After tea I  
went to Shepherds
Bush to see the  
Starkeys' arriving back  
to bed about midnight
Experienced a London 
fog.

  
MARCH—1918.
11 Monday—Sun rises 6.26, sets 5.54.

Got train at Victoria at  
7.30 AM. got to Dover  
where we put in a  
few hours & the embarked  
for Calais, it was  
fine & calm & we we being  
on top enjoyed it, I  
marched to a rest
camp well on the  
outside of the Town,  
by the time we had  
our tea & got our  
blankets we were  
quite satisfied to
turn in regardless  
of the discomforts  
after every comfort.

MARCH—1918.
12 Tuesday—Sun rises 6.24, sets 5.56.
7h 52m After.

Left Calais Camp about  
7. A.M. arriving Bailleul  
2.20 PM. to find that  
the Hun was shelling  
it, he put 4 shells in
wounding 4 persons.  
Got motor to Locre &  
got our equipment  
then walked to the  
Camp the Bn are in
near La Clytte feeling  
very tired & weary  
but quite satisfied  
that we have had  
a good time of it &  
that after all there is  
nothing like a spell  
among English speaking
people.
  

MARCH—1918.
13 Wednesday—Sun rises 6.22, sets 5.58.

Wandered round in a  
miserable way all
day. 

MARCH—1918.
14 Thursday—Sun rises 6.20, sets 6.0.

Walked to Locre in  
afternoon & in the  
evening went to the
detached coys about  
4 hours of a walk  
getting back about  
10.30, about midnight  
the Hun shelled  
La Clytte with heavy  
H. E. shrapnel.
  

MARCH—1918.
15 Friday—Sun rises 6.17, sets 6.1.

Nothing much doing, 
the routine is breakfast 
8.30 in bed sleep till 
about 10 have a wash 
& a bit of a stroll till 
dinner & write letters 
in the afternoon 
& as the evening was 
cold go for a stroll. 
The days are getting 
fine & sunny now.

MARCH—1918.
16 Saturday—Sun rises 6.15, sets 6.3.

Jim Mack came 
over in the evening 
& stayed to tea, I 
went back as far 
as Kemil with him. 
I had an opportunity 
of going to the Bde 
school for 2 months 
as an instructor.
  

MARCH—1918.
17 Sunday—5th in Lent. St. Patrick.
Mg.—Ex. iii. Mark xiii. 14.
Evg.—Ex. v. or Ex. vi. 1-14. 1 Cor. ix.

Marched about 3 miles 
to Church parade, G.O.C 
Corps & G.O.C. Div & GOC. Bde 
all being present, after 
the church parade Medals 
were presented. 
The Hun was doing some
wild long distance shelling 
he is evidently angry over
something. 
Lovely weather prevailing 
now the days are just like 
an Aust Spring day. 
Met Alex McRae today. 

MARCH—1918.
18 Monday—Sun rises 6.10, sets 6.6. 

Moved  to Tournai Camp 
only about 3 miles. 
Hun shelling very active 
all over the place. 
Met Snowy Tyrell today
& got much news from 
Galah way.
  

MARCH—1918.
19 Tuesday—Sun rises 6.8, sets 6.8. 
1h 30m After.

Raining all day, the Hun 
shelled Bailleul, Poppering
Parnilhurst & most of 
the other Town away 
back. The Bde Concert 
party gave a free performance 
in YMCA. 
& I went. 

MARCH—1918.
22. Friday
20 Wednesday—Sun rises 6.6, sets 6.10.

A Very heavy artillery fire
about 4.30 AM till well
after day break, Confusion
corner again shelled,
but as far as I know
not one person wounded
Aircraft conspicuous 
of by their absence.
Guns quiet in the
afternoon. We had our
first practice at Cricket
after dinner.
Pay day.
News to hand of attack
show the Hun to bemaking
slight progress.
British fall back about
8 miles West of St. Quentin

  
MARCH—1918.
21 Thursday— Sun rises 6.3, sets 6.11.

About 4.30 A.M. the artillery
fire became intense
we had a message through
saying S.O.S had gone up
on our front, but we need
not stand to, it continued 
well into the morning, 
no attack took
place on our front. In
the evening we received
word that the Huns
had attacked on a 24
mile front & that Buellecourt, 
A Lagnicourt, &
Hagricourt were in
the Huns hands after
a very hard days fighting.
The Hun has been shelling.
Confusion Corner near our
camp with high velocity
shells.  Hun advanced 4 ½ miles