Diary of George Booley, 5th Battalion, AIF, 1918, Part 9

JUNE-1918. 
10 Monday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.13. 

Nothing fresh only that 
I went for a walk along 
the Cliff with Sister Walsh 
in the evening. Had a  
yarn to the Dr. & he said 
the spell here would make 
the operation easier. 


JUNE-1918. 
11 Tuesday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.14. 
St. Barnabas. 

Nothing doing today, in 
the evening the Aust Heavy 
Art Bde gave a Concert in 
the YMCA. Had supper as 
usual with Sister Walsh. 

JUNE-1918. 
12 Wednesday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.14. 

A Number of 2^nd Div came 
in today after an attack 
at Morlancourt. 
In the evening went for 
another walk with Sister 
Walsh. 


JUNE-1918. 
13 Thursday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.15. 

The only thing fresh today 
was that sentries were 
posted on the gates to stop 
us from going on to the 
beach. 
Had supper with Sister 
Walsh Strawberries being  
on the menu.

JUNE-1918. 
14 Friday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.15. 

Put up a record turned 
into bed about 8 oclock, 
I felt a little off colour, the 
night Sister got a surprise 
to see me in so early. 


JUNE-1918. 
15 Saturday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.16. 

Same old routine, went 
for a walk with Sister 
Walsh in evening also 
had supper with her. 
Asked Sister to put 
my card in for a shift 
on & she asked the MO 
to send me to Blighty.

JUNE-1918. 
16 Sunday-3rd after Trinity. 
Mg.-1 Sam. ii. 1-27. Acts i. 
Evg.-1 Sam. iii. or 1 Sam. iv. 1-19. 
1 Peter i. 22 to ii. 11. 
1h 12m After. 

Nothing fresh happened 
here but I received a 
number of letters. 


JUNE-1918. 
17 Monday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.17. 

Was marked up for 
N^o 1 CC as it was not 
possible to send me 
to Blighty.

JUNE-1918. 
18 Tuesday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.18. 

Was not warned for 
CC in morning 
Sister held it up & 
arranged for me to 
go to 25 BGH direct 
which I did in the 
evening by ambulance 
after much formula 
we eventually got 
to a ward not too 
favourably impressed 
with our new Home 


JUNE-1918. 
19 Wednesday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.18. 

After inspection today 
we were able to get 
out & find our bearings 
the Hospital is in the  
Seaside resort of Hardlot 
a very fine beach &  
promenade, in pre 
war days quite a 
fashionable resort. 
In the evening the 
chief amusements 
were sports on the 
beach by the WAAC 
& a Polo match 
the WAAC enter into 
the sports with some  
gusto & seem to enjoy 
it as much as the 
spectators.

JUNE-1918. 
20 Thursday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.18. 

Wandered back & forth 
to the beach during  
the day. In the evening 
a military band played 
in a hut on the promenade,  
the hut was 
one time used as an 
aerodrome for the 
first plane to fly the 
English Channel 
built by a man named 
Blierote 


JUNE-1918. 
21 Friday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.19. 

Inspection in morning 
after dinner went down 
to the beach later 
went & had afternoon  
tea with Sister Lucas 
In the evening went  
to a fine Concert in 
the Recreation Hut, 
finishing up with  
a walk on the  
beach.

JUNE-1918. 
22 Saturday-Sun rises 3.44, sets 8.19. 

Got a good book from 
one of the Sisters &  
this morning lay on 
the beach & read, 
in fact I spent most  
of the day that way, 
for about an hour I 
listened to a lecture 
on Belgium & the  
part played by Her 
in the War 


JUNE-1918. 
23 Sunday-4th after Trinity. 
Prince of Wales born, 1894. 
Mg.-1 Sam. xii. Acts vi. 
Evg.-1 Sam, xiii, or Ruth i. 2 Peter iii. 

With the intention of 
hearing a Pardre by the 
name of Woodbine Willy I 
went to 11 church & was so 
pleased that I went again 
at 5.45, no mistake he 
is the most unique I 
have ever heard, never 
the less I like His 
religious sentiments  
very much, he uses  
the language of the 
trenches & at times 
has everyone on the 
giggle, the singing 
was Bon. Later I 
had a short promenade 
on the beach. 

JUNE-1918. 
24 Monday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.19. 
St. John Baptist. Midsummer. 
10h 38m Morn. 

The MO got busy in the 
morning & operated on 
10 Chaps in our ward, 
I was busy working 
with them, taking them 
off stretchers etc. In the 
afternoon Sister wanted 
two from our tent for 
operation tomorrow so 
a Jock & I took it & 
commenced all the 
preliminary business 
plenty of oil etc. 


JUNE-1918. 
25 Tuesday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.19. 

Got on to the table at 
about midday & the next 
thing I knew was about 
3 PM the Sister said 'poor 
old Aussie", I woke fairly 
decent but later on got 
pretty crook on it again 
& all night felt pretty 
rotten on it until the 
Dr. was sent for in 
the morning & took 
some water away from 
me & eased things 
considerably.

JUNE-1918. 
26 Wednesday-Sun rises 3.45, sets 8.19. 

Felt much better 
taken  
from me this morning, 
was pretty sore 
where the operation  
took place. 


JUNE-1918. 
27 Thursday-Sun rises 3.46, sets 8.19. 

Doing well today wrote 
letters & slept all day. 
After dinner Sister Lucas 
came in & had a yarn. 
Air raid scare on during 
the night we could  
hear the guns but 
no planes came our 
way.

JUNE-1918. 
28 Friday-Sun rises 3.47, sets 8.19. 

Doing well now, 
today we commenced 
the cleaning out again. 
I am a source of worry 
to the night Sister in 
that I do not sleep,  
for four nights now 
this is the first one 
she has come into 
the ward & found me 
asleep, she wanted 
to give me morphia.. 


JUNE-1918. 
29 Saturday-Sun rises 3.47, sets 8.19. 
St. Peter. 

Got out of bed & walked 
about 100 yds, it proved 
very painful but I managed 
it.