Diary for George Lush Finlay, 1915-1918 - Part 4

Oct. 13 Rejoined the Bⁿ at Ailly le Haut.
Clocher. on the 11^th. Sent to
D Coy and acting as O.C. in 
Meikell's absence.

15 Great peace talk. Orders
out about talking peace
& forbidding it. French Belg
& Brit. advance up north
4 miles capture Roulers.

Oct 28. Austria sues for separate
peace. Asks for immediate
cessation of hostilities.
Roumania re entering the 
Dobrudja. Aleppo taken.
End is in sight without
doubt.
Bⁿ still at Ailly. Training
x Transfer as O.C. C.Coy.

Oct. 31 Turkey signs armistice
xxx Stiff terms.

Nov 4 Austria signs armistice
after great defeat by Italians
 
Nov 6th that they were far
the best they (the bn) had yet
received

Wrote to Muriel
Marge 
Auntie

Nov 10 Just recd magnificent
hamper from Auntie
She is great!

11 Received piles of old
letters & spent most of
the morning reading
them

12 Inspected by Lord
Kitchener today.

13 Sent Acquittance Rolls
[*X*] to Staff Paymaster
Cairo

14 Recd pile of mail again
Recd. boracic vaseline from An
100 cigarettes from Eric

up to 10 'o'clock over 500
prisoners had passed through
our cage and more 
appear to be coming in
First objective captured
on line 2^nd Objective
already half captured
(10.30) Good oh!

Oct. 8 Returned yesterday
from English leave. Had a
good time. Saw a lot of 8.
Division out of the line 10KM
from Abbeville. Whole Corps
out. Expect to move further 

south in a day or two.
Saw Hashie this morning.
If I go back to the 5^th I go
back to a company
as O.C.
 
Nov 15 Embarked for Anzac
At last I am on my
way. xxx per S.S. Abassieh
& had a hell of a rough
trip to Imbros. Too
rough to attempt a
landing at Anzac
so we have to wait
until the weather
moderates. More delay.
We are fortunate
in being able to get
something decent to
eat.

17 At last! The weather's
calmed & we are under
weigh for Anzac. It's going
to be a beautiful
moonlight night so its
quite possible that
we may be shelled
in landing. Don't feel
nervous at all.

Have been watching

Sep. 17^th Watson returned today.
Operation orders issued.
to units for attack tomorrow
Zero hour will be 5:20
Brigade remains on reserve.
but 5^th & 6^th B^ns are to be
ready to move forward
if necessary.
Have been in the line
since 14/15 in HERVILLY
JEANCOURT sector. Very
quiet Small operation by
8^th Bⁿ not too successful.
Hope to go on leave
in two days
1^st & 3^rd Bdes hop over
Three Army show, 3^rd
4^th & 1^st French Army.

18 Temporary Captaincy
granted.
Attack this morning
appears to have been
completely successful

the shelling for the last
hour. The gxx boats are
doing a bit of "strafe". 

Nov 20 Landed quite safely
without experiencing
any shell fire. Very
much struck with the
sharp crack of the bullets
striking the earth
I expected that the sound
would be a dull one
Spent the night on
Rest Terraces in Victoria Gully
& took over the following
morning.

Our sector of trench
very secure. We are
150 yards from the Turks
a deep gully runs
between, making it difficult
for either side to attack
but more so for them

I expect that we will
be right on the Hindenburg
Line in another two
weeks or so and that
we will there have
very serious resistance
offered to us.

Sept. 11 Relieved Watson on Sept 1^st
and have acted as B/M
mostly since then. Have 
got on alright and have
moved the Brigade twice
first to Mont St Quentin
then to TINCOURT. Things
quiet at present. A "feeling"
attack by 1^st Brigade this
morning was not successful.
Bosche prisoners are very
fed up Much dissent between
Bavarians & Prussians.
Rumours of a relief for the
Corps shortly. Perhaps
as soon as the Hindenburg
Line is reached. 

as our trenches are
higher. Everything
is quiet. A few bombs
are flying around
& of course plenty of
bullets

Saw Seymour day
before yesterday in
the Pine Trenches looking
well & fit. Coffee was
killed the same morning

Nov 25 Things going on all right
Am not feeling too good
but I suppose I'll
pick up all right
I suppose this damned
watching at night is
beginning to play up
with me. 

Nov 29 Doctor came round last
night & took my temp.

job and also that, it
will give me an opportunity
of doing something
The CO seems a bit
cold towards my going back 
as Adjt even though he
said that he would
take me back if I
didn't get a 8. job.
Therefore I suppose I
d better keep in with
this business as after
all it is a bit unfair 
to Rigg.
My recommendation
for T/Capt has been
sent in and should
go through. Even
a T.Capt. is better than
nothing.
The Hun is still
going back and
has been forced
out of the North. portion
of his Hindenburg line

Told me to go to bed
& do no more work that
night. This morning am
told I've got to go to
hospital. Damn!

Nov 29 aft. Arrived at Clearing
after visiting F.A.
& get into a tent
which gets a shell
through it. Get into
a sap and am
nearly blown up
Don't feel bad enough
to be evacuated
so have persuaded
doctor to keep me
under observation
for a couple of days

Mess a/c.
Capt. Carter.  fr.
Nov 12 By sub 10
      "           "        10

Lt Anderson
Capt Maltby
Nov 12 By sub 10 fr
Nov 16 By sub 20 fr

Lt. Sampson fr
Nov 11 By sub .5
         12   "    "    1.50
            1   "    "    10.

I thought Paddy would get 
it sooner or later. One
only has to keep on
going in to the line and
a bullet will wait for 
one at the end eventually.

Aug 29: was to have gone
on leave on Sept 1^st
but my leave was stopped
in order that I might relieve
the B.M 2nd. Bde. Am.

rather fed up in consequence
but am rather consoled
at the thought that it is
more or less of an honour
to be selected for the 

Dec 8^th Notwithstanding my
endeavours to remain at
Anzac. I was sent away
& here I am in No 15 Gen
Hospital with para
typhoid. a form of enteric
Doctor tells me that
for certain I shall
be sent back to Australia
as all enteric cases
are sent home. Am getting
on all right.

While in clearing hospital
several 24^th officers were
brought in one was
Charlie Williams suffering
from a scalp wound

The Turks had been shelling
everywhere abominably
& especially the Pine
An officer came in wounded & Williams
was asking him if he
knew what casualties

D. Volmer         fr.
Nov 12 By sub 10
                           10

Lt Finlay            fr.
Nov 12 By sub  10
14.                       10₣s

L^t Cluff                 fr
Nov 12 By sub     5
               .      .       10
 15                           2.

Aug 24 1^st Division attacked
again yesterday south of
the Somme and punch [[abo]]
1½ miles Attack completely

successful 90? off 1500
prisoners 16 guns taken
by the Division
Attacks by the French
continue to be successful
and an attack delivered
by Bgns north of
Albert has taken us
nearly to Bapaume.
Still at Div HQs. Hope
to go on leave on 1^st Sept
with the C.O.
Paddy Burke has
been killed
and O'Sullivan
very seriously wounded

there were amongst the
officers of the 24^th & the first
words he said were "Finlay
& Fogarty have been killed"
I received a great shock
of course. When he found
out that I was Seymours
brother he tried to cover
it & say that he wasn't
certain but I knew
that it was correct.

I have since ascertained
from the Records.
Poor Seymour never
had much luck.

He certainly never had
mine! 

15 Am still in hospital but
am quite alright again
I will be up covalescing
next week so the doctor
tells me

Cash a/c 

Dec 15^th While in hospital I have
written to
Auntie, Joe Corsen
Muriel Mc Bean Mrs Read
Rob, Caps. Levy. & Mick.

Doctor tells me that I am
certain to be sent back
to Australia

16 Temperature up!
No reason. Damn!

17 Temperature upper
X!!X

18^th Recd parcel from Auntie
enclosing book. tin of
cheese, tin of Heinz Beans
& also a tin of Biscuits.
 

23 Have had a particularly
rotten week. My temp
has been up to 104°
three nights & in

captured and sent
back to the rear.
Expect that the advance
break will be still further
exploited.

Aug 9 At Blagny Tranville
rear Div. Hqrs Advance 
progressing satisfactorily.
2^nd Bde now fighting
some 20 Kilos in front
of our old line.

Aug 20 Move from Clangy to 
Corbie on the 16^th. Casualties
on 2^nd Bde after attack on
Lahons were fairly heavy
This attack was well
carried out. Poor old Mac
Morrison died of wounds
& his brother was killed in 
the same stunt. Sixteen
officer casualties altogether

consequence I have felt
as rotten as possible. I
have been bathed about
6 times a day in damned
cold water, at times
by a nurse whom we
would all like to
strangle. She is a new
one & has replaced
an extremely nice one
Oh! she is a blighter.
Got a voice like a foghorn
Thank heaven my temp
is somewhere in the
region of 102.
Recd. parcel from Jess & Alice

Dec 24 Sent cable to Reads
Wrote to Eric & Bages.

Dec 25 Temp pretty well normal
& as a treat was
allowed bread & milk
& sponge cake

Aug 9^th Attack delivered by
Australian & Canadian Corps
in conjunction with one 
French & one British Corps
Final objective 9000 yards
from old front line.
Advance made on
south bank of Somme.
Complete surprise, complete
successful so far
1^st Div, which moved
down from the north
on 5^th & 6^th are now
moving forward.
Bosche said to be
retreating in disorder
Cavalry tanks and
armoured cars out
2 miles in front of
final objective.
2^nd Div whom captured
50 officers & 1500 pris.
No details yet as to
total number or number
It is said that a German
hsptl and many nurses

Dec 26th Temperature normal
Am hoping it stays
down this time.
Forgot to mention
a visit by Mick
two days ago.
Must also mention
Mjr. Fosters name
so that I won't forget
him, the dear old chap.

Regarding the nurses when
When I came in here
three & half weeks ago
we had a very nice
set of nurses but
now Lord! it makes
you me we have
a couple of frightful
blighters looking
after us. Thank
heaven they go shortly.

Received 3 prs of beautiful