Diary for George Lush Finlay, 1915-1918 - Part 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000245
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

N03 ns Mry Mr mr mebn. M M o w try Ar t 2 L Y 7D mmyor $2001 4 M 122 n 2 m My 55 83 o r in y non M s S771 m i Wrote notes to WC. Jans & Pm. silling them I was going to fort said These I will post if go. I also wrote to Guntel which litter will not postunces don go spink this afternoon on the balcory, or the sun Delightful T Took photos of O Donoren Thompson Bisher Gnlon Fister Hidges Mist send yrint ang pot 415 from Pay Office fortunately. Also yo a cah & wro egeetted I dont suppose we will go to morrow after an thi
100 it 0 comourmorri M fom M Semit oura tg N mrh mor fter My 2 mnr 2 X1 2 M or 808 r M trn in 2045 23 in en Cann o M Mi WE me 10 Ricd litters from hen S Murid Sannie auntye mat same. Also a ppt. of socks. from auntte & ahchieg from Amne Heard from D. bross today that we will not heave hospital wntit we can be charsed as light duty cases; We kingo to lort said I way for a boat. I don tike the hirm lightduty for it might mean work on ho6 p 3004 monts. This would be helt Id wotimes rather go busk t Toloncker tan wasky money stin in this holl
350 hins n 50 F t 2t n i yo n VI M 782 74 viinga- 3227711 9 tmeore ereny. me me may y 25 wirt ant ip 2 n 0 M sm trony my NWab MM Bul 264 M M M 1 My WnN anwr all this may be altered of course for one never knows whmiltary peope ae going to do meet Dbross said that he will not allow us. to be put on light. dity dent he says that we must go back to anstration send a table to Auntu, also wrote not heard that one ofthe Mo in the hospital had bubonicplagie a week or so ago We heard runours beyore but were rather incredutous apparently the runn
to fm ✓ t 2o nro 871 ir W ont t 7 nonn m wnps his my m n p rny ery pr mio on tyy n m nos M an nor mns C onoy is corrilt. I was atways under the impression that to was torribly infections but it doesn't seem to be. He didn't peg it wrote to huck Phil 1X Rob. shill in the some hosition Jnnt putre fast. Iav not tien allowed down stans inot O Donoran a Thompson wento weste today after a faise start yesterday. met miss Finlay today seenes guite Ils me that votin & Gordon have got consmision i the R.Y. W Engling
105 M hur t o om you mc vy no f 74 onne JHP mor 77 X or Mor t b WYNE WS no ntt rym p 2 yury 3 Mmey M pogs ront t t t Mys yunen ver 0 omn per M 7 Janst wrote to annie Absolutely nothing doing. Doctor told us today that Caird had been making engnnies if we were still here. a ure gettine excrted about hi afraid: Thompsons address. Luns A.F. Thompon Marks Sey Erack Jan 18th sent from No 13 to sairs fr eather have ats H. saw about 30 or yo officers knew.
Retr onds Iuse bo pister Lieth Sandringhaw King Mas orMr Fround for Harry Res h Kithie M Be Janr mote Len Sint ho meser shinding mower like water as I expected. Having a good was saiing thrs will some hime. still pretty weak. Jom n Wrote Sister Bondlove Blayney O’Donortar Thompson Spenk yeshirday with henk in the fer MORI
S.R. S. B. Boilder woodlegh Wamore turshoill Lysey Gran for Kallyn Mrs S fine nook a Yan it have missed. & two trunsports owing bo the nstaying of any hoard papers. I hope to carch the lerainie which sails according to runnou on Saturday. d new order say that cuteric patients are not to have the hospital. We are not even allowed to ito the grounds a today is a glorious day. this order, is being strictly observed of course
m 77 Seror prise my m of ser o t n nos 6 margs t os yon Sn t mornns 71 a W t Aboard ss histor Febe 12. B0ooks Fine ship after a way of three weeks in hotAG.H. I was finally shipped offinst at all sorry to leave as bans a hospital life were both very heresome. a few ince sisters aboard & although the first two days have been deadly slow fI am sicko) reading kings may liven up when everybody setles down
t 0 n o m ns t t nor m B M t t a sement mort 2 13 w your Snere i por alloll noro <g gp <g <g we ns hno ro Wemo i hift Colombo Loden Feb B after having ofurt Afwsh enjoyabl three days Ashore comin2 days being spent visiting Randy Had a partyo) sevent Joyer Lloyd Sinall sisters tarker willips Campbell &scy. Drove up in a seir Mrougn mag. Yeever shaind the dight at the qucens Hote -lift Landis at 2 o'clock hervirt day. the following morning went with Bloyd o Sister Phel to havyng which bip although ineristing ofrett fell a lattly bit ftat after the paradin
228 18 54 on wnddud ret neered LOunt Frn 200 ms Wors Simson Knn aug tin ass 9t w prnstr o noners NS prg trmn rmen it my notarg mon s M My K mry ata Buch 29 we had been in the day byfore hoking doing Mar 2n aboard. Ship going very slowly doing only Borwuls a day avday Discrplen on board rothen men being allowed all over the place & to do cacky what they like. wrote to Bister Rondlon Pacl much & sent cable to lmby card to hurrielt all from Colonit

Apr 28th

Moved on 26th from
VILLERS - BRULIN to
Mingoval where I was
attached to Div Train
Hqrs. Am at present
imbibing knowledge
and whisky - under
the care of the [[GSO?]]
a very decent fellow
Will be here one
week after which I
go on to CRE. for
a week.
News from the south
is good. The Australians

have had to take
back Villers Bretonneux
which had been lost 
by the Tommies
News for the north
is not too bon.
Kemmel is gone
and fighting is now
taking place between 
Kemmel and


Jan 8th Wrote notes to J.V.G. 
& P.M. telling them 
I was going to Port Said.  
These I will post if I 
go. I also wrote to 
Auntie which letter 
I will not post unless 
I don't go.

Spent this afternoon 
on the balcony in 
 the sun. Delightful. 
|√  Took photos of O'Donovan 
|/ Thompson Sister [[Provalon?]] 
|/  & Sister Hedges.  
|  Must send prints.

Jan 9th  Got £15 from Pay Office 
fortunately. Also got 
a cap & 1000 cigarettes.  
I don't suppose we 
will go tomorrow 
after all this

 

ahead of the Bde
with Mallett and
looked for training
areas.
News from the front
keeps pretty fair.
Decathlon, Baillieul
& Meteren all in the 
Bosche hands and
yesterday we heard
that the Passchendaele
Ridge had been evacuated
by us successfully.
I was prepared for
this news and am
very glad that it
has been done.
exchange of Ground doesn't matter
much.
Cowan sent on my
recommendation yesterday
for a position as G.S.O. in
[[?our]] Staff Corps.


Jan 10th  Recd letters from
Len J Muriel & Annie 
Auntie & Mab [Haines?].  
Also a pkt. of socks 
from Auntie & a h'chief 
from Annie.

Heard from Dr. Cross 
today that we will 
not leave hospital 
until we can be 
classed as light duty 
cases.  We then go 
to Port Said & wait 
for a boat.  I don't 
like the term 
"light duty" for it 
might mean work 
on [[L of C?]] for 3 or 4  
months.  This would 
be hell.  I'd 100 times 
rather go back 
to Salonika than 
waste money & time 
in this hole

 

April 13th. Have just been
told by Cowan that
Lt. Col. Miller AA & QMC
20th Div told him today
to put in a recommendation
for me for a staff
appt. This is exceedingly
pleasant news and
perhaps most unexpected
I'm very glad for it
should mean that a 
job should come out
of it eventually

Apr 18 Moved from Tully
to VILLERS- BRULIN a 
village in the ST POL
area which in turn is
in the First Army.
This is the first time
I have been in this
Army.
Came on by bus
 

Jan 10th   All this may be 
altered of course for 
one never knows 
what military people 
are going to do next.  
Dr. Cross said that he 
will not allow us 
to be put on light 
duty but he says 
that we must go 
back to Australia

Sent a cable to
Auntie, also wrote

Jan 11th   Just heard that one 
of the MO's in the 
hospital had 
bubonic plague 
a week or so ago.  
We heard rumours 
before but were 
rather incredulous 
Apparently the rumour

 

God knows what will
happen if we haven't
any troops to throw in

and hold the [[?cow]].
Why the French dont
create a diversion some
where I don't know
unless it is that Foch
is still waiting for
something and will
attack when he is ready
The end of next month
should show what
is going to happen
and this last round
next should be the
last, the result of it 
concluding the fight in
a draw.
We must hope for the
best I suppose

Is correct. I was 
always under the 
impression that it 
was horribly infectious 
but it doesn't seem 
to be. He didn't 
peg it.  
Wrote to Mick, 
                  Phil
                  Rob

Jan 14th  Still in the same position 
pulse fast.  Have not been 
allowed downstairs yet
O'Donovan & Thompson 
went off yester today 
after a false start

yesterday.

Met Miss Finlay today 
seems quite nice. Tells me 
that Colin & Gordon 
have got commissions 
in the R.F.A. in England

 

rather jealous of Australians
and I wanted to see
whether he would make
a remark. But not a
word.
The amount which
has been said to me
[[by these ?ge]] about Australian troops
would just about fill
a thimble. Naturally
I don't mention Australia
or Australians except
in answer to a direct
question.
Apr 13th
Moved on the 11th
from CERISY to TULLY
which is only four miles
from the coast. The
news of the Bosch attack
on the Armentieres front
has come through and
has made us feel not
any too cheerful.

Jan 16th:   Wrote to Annie 
absolutely nothing 
doing.

Doctor told us
today that Cairo
had been making 
enquiries if we
were still here.  
No use getting 
excited about I'm
afraid

Thompson's address:-
Lieut A. F. Thompson
Marks Tey
Essex.

Jan 18th  Sent from No 15
to Cairo or rather 
No 1 A.G.H. Saw 
about 30 or 40 officers 
I knew.

 

Ring up on return
 

[*C Burton*]
Dora Symonds
Yorkshire Fuse Co
18 Queen St

Mrs Lyceff sister
Sandringham

Ring
Mr or Mrs Ground.
for Harry

Ring 
Mrs Gillies
for Bert
 
 

Jan 23   Wrote Len S. 
Sent £1  to McIves  
Spending money 
like water as I 
expected.  Having a 
good loaf.  Sailing 
this week some 
times. Still pretty 
weak.

Jan 24  Wrote Sister Proudlove

                              Blaynly

                              O'Donovan 
                              Thompson

Spent yesterday 
with Len R in the 
Zoo

 

S.A.E.B. Gilder
"Woodleigh"
Woronora Rd
Hurstville
Sydney

J Green for J Tallyn
Call on Mrs J.L.T
Pine Hook
Shirley Gve
E St Kilda

Jan 28   Have missed 
two transports owing
to the mislaying of 
of my board papers.  
I hope to catch the 
Ceramic, which sails 
according to rumour 
on Saturday.

A new order says 
that enteric patients 
are not to leave the 
hospital.  We are 
not even allowed to 
go into the grounds 
& today is a glorious 
day.

This order is being 
strictly observed 
of course.

 

"Tommie"
c/o F.R.Lloyd
Edwards Deullop
Edwards St
Brisbane


with the information that
we have to move to
the Gavroche area
tomorrow.
In yesterdays Daily 
Mail there was a big
heading "Iron Australians"
and a column of glorous
account of the defence
put up by them at
Albert. I purposely left
this paper on the table
for Delassoc to see but
I said nothing. He is   

Feb 12th  Aboard SS Nestor 
15000 tons. Fine ship.

After a wait of three weeks 
in No 1 A.G.H.  I was finally 
shipped off, not at all 
sorry to leave as Cairo 
& hospital life were 
both very tiresome.

A few nice sisters aboard 
& although the first two 
days have been deadly 
slow - I am sick of reading
things may liven up 
when everybody settles
down.

 

out of the 9 Bn. Cdrs or
the Division only one
remaining all the 
others being killed or
wounded. Officer casualties
were very heavy. The
battalions of the Bde
came out of the show
not more than 200 - 250
strong including all 
details.

Apr 10th Bn moved today
from / AUMONT to CERISY
I came here yesterday
in company with Street.
My job was to look
for training areas &
rifle ranges etc. I had
very little success and
after riding all round
the country yesterday
afternoon in a car
and this morning on 
a horse, I was greeted
 

Feb 13th  Left Colombo today 
after having spent 
a most enjoyable 
three days ashore 
conisn  2 days being 
spent visiting Kandy
Had a party of seven
Toyer Lloyd Tirrall.
Sisters Parker Phillips
& Campbell, & self.
Drove up in a car
through mag. scenery
stayed the night at
the Queens Hotel
& left Kandy at
2 o'clock the next

day.
The following morning
went with Lloyd
& Sister Phil. to Lavinia
which trip although
interesting & pretty
fell a little bit flat
after the paradise

 

Things seem to be going
fairly well. The Bosche
not having succeeded
in breaking our lines yet.
 

Apr 5th moved yesterday
from Cerisy to Aumont
and rejoined Bde
Hqrs. No orders have
come through regarding
my disposal. My 
staff Training has therefore
suffered.
 

Apr 7th Still at AUMONT. move
on the 10th to HALLENCOURT
area. Bosche still pushing
a bit  gained about 2000
yards in parts but on
the whole failed to
make much impression
21st Division is being quickly
made up to strength
with reinforcements.
 

we had been in the
day before

Mar 2nd  Nothing doing
aboard. Ship going
very slowly doing only
230 miles a day average.
Discipline on board
rotten, men being allowed
all over the place
& to do exactly what
they like.
Wrote to Sister Proudlon
                            Phil
                            Mick
& sent cable to Auntie
& card to Muriel Tc.
All from Colombo.

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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