Diary of Frederick Trouton Small, 1915 - Part 13

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG0000252
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

105 246 September 3 FRIDAY (246-119) 9th Month 1915 The OM.S. has his worries & today was full of worries for me There was the hustle & lustle of getting away from Cairo the isng of equipment & the returning of nores to Ordnana all throun into one day To make matters worse, my fellow P.M.s. was in a hoptlers state from drink. All his hard work was thus marrid thro a cereple of days bort wh occurred on the very days he was wanted mort The chaos was ultimality cleared & by eight oclock (pm) we were ready 10 for any HCol. Elliott teck me emergency arcrend the camp & thanked me for all I had dones but I fell LMs Wynn deserves the praise for on him fell the bulk About nine oclock of the work. I went into Heleopoles to see Mrs Bailey and to ask her to get the photes of roim & Myself. I gave her the Maters address so she could post 5 of them home. Left the camp at 10.30 for the & left for Alexandria oidtion about 130 am. 247 September 1915 39 Days 4 SATURDAY (247-118) before drrived in Alexandria & were a bil disappt bre appart. the with our transport the Templar (224) Knight cargo biamp a was The sergeant to clean none mess was the Limil- a few hne cups of lea Had Cueffet on the whart at the by Englet op is run This tea of ladies for the convenie Ince soldiers for 833 at 5 oclock Sest suprised to fnd messy & was appointed ships P.M.s. would have been far better to, have appainted L.M.S. Wyrn to the post as his previctes experience would have proved invaluable.
248 September 5 Sunday—14 aft Trin (218-117) ath Month 1915 Beautiful smooth but Most 81 my time is ttaken ut on the parades & clecking rations 1915 30 Days slightly Mam nick 249 6 MONDAY (249-116) September rerigher today Coth Cribby were
278 W0th Month 1915 5 TUESDAY (27S-S7) October Dividends due at Bank LMS duties Keritine Excellent relations with AS.C. Using same faligue party, specially selected & explained the reason 1915 31 va75 Routin G WEDNESDAY [279-86) 2DS Dulie 279 October
280 7 THURSDAY (280-85) 10th Month 1915 October 2M. S duties. Kerition surped a sack of flour from the A.S.C 281 1915 31 Days 8 FRIDAY (281-84) October O 0h 42m p.M. (Greenwich) Reritin O.M.S duties ORDER FORM TO BOOKSELLER. ext year, please fi ad this Slis to Fou To secure the same Edition of Le Sebttchor i October. 23.84 197 258 Ab. 1 SRSEIIRS Please send to my address LETTSSDIARY, No. 45. Say if plain, or interleaved with Blotting 29.82 Bound in Name Address (S8E. OvER) 4
8 8 280 T THURSDAY (280-85) October 2M.S duties. Rerition surped a sack of flour A.5.6 10th Month 1915 the per 1915 31 Days Rositin 8 FRIDAY (281-84) O 0h 42m p.M. (Greenwich) O.M.S duties 281 October
105 282 Mar m 1815 9 SATURDAY [282-83) October NA Soyd 10 Went around to the hospital see Moor & was surprised to find he had been sent away on a Previous reports hospital ship showed him to be improving rapidly but at his 1t sartid to rise is was deemed advisable to send him away. He had all the sympton of entiric. I went ut to the Jewith Coy & collected all his personal effects including his Webly. N Things are painfully quiet is hard to realise one is at wave 28 October 1915 31P78 10 Sunday—19 aft Trin (283-82) spent most of the day on reopng the dugout Drew tobacco cgarettis & matches sop. 4 packets aboxes each today
284 10th Month 1915 October 11 MONDAY (284-81) Oxford Michaelmas Term begins Pay £1-0.0 Nrote to Pater, McBarley re Morm Cabled to Pater "Noun ill hospital no cause anxiety Cablid Uncle Bort. Everything received QMS. Fifth Engineers Rawned today but the vion noof saved a let of discomfort. A few minor discorkforts will soon be over- come by the use of a few sand bags & then the old dugor should be OK. Our Ceroplanes are pretty active today + are as usual be shelled without success 1915 31 Days 12 TUESDAY (285-80) Michaelmas Law Sittings begin 285 October
290 October 17 Sunday—20 aft Trin (290-75) 10th Month 1915 291 18 MONDAY (291-74) 1915 31 Days October St. Luke, Evan. Quarter Sessions Week Routine OM.S. work barncades Improved some of the in Shrapnel Gully for Che A.S.C Got an extra ration for the men as an exclange for Sanabagg + work sot hell from Col YCC Ellicte for refusing commission fold me he was not having any mere of my olstinacy of the 13Floy days in sherking rerhenswility Ded me to believe both Clogstoan & Cap Bage had previourly recommended me promotion. Prefer to remain the equiralent of my other University associates butis view of the feeling in the matter cunnot let personal desires) run cownity to official ricommerdations
292 see Oct 23rd Te TUESDAT 292-78 October 10th Month 1915 Oct esnot Fenghh of Drive of rarieric tunnele on taking over on 22/10/15 1716 316 78 136 8 556 11 Pul sappers vo 22 &3 minies in 65&8 fatiques in LI1 Distance driven during day 416 516 0 0 2 21 6 L11 consitts of hard conglomerate will bry blasting Met Bugade-Majer Wisdom ty appointment at the Top Sistners Report picking near L11 on left above 6ff away. Also in H4 on Right belerb 365 ft way. Stopped, all picking at a 3.00 to personally confirm. Machine gun made in difficult 15 judge the distance but there is picking, at both places 10.15 PM 1815 31Days & 6 Bee Oct 237d 20 WEDNESDAY (293-72) 50 G 34 293 October 3 0 5 7I
29 October 21 THURSDAY (294-71) 10th Month 1915 Trafalgar Day (1805) with me GC E. Cllott & Murder Col at take H. Howells position 10 He is sick Rissells Lop knee firmly bandaged Keeping ap Handid over my duties OMS. 15 CH. Sandon all friends ar now peattered o can is the various sections new see I should have taken promition earlier Have 15 see Col Elliott tomorrow Rurrells Tof at trangely enough I am 15 got back15 my prewar of 96 mining engineer Friday 22 0d Set 4 H51es 17 9 C4f 48 1eap of Farth used as a pase Meaor SCOON Dump 295 22 FRIDAY (295-70) 1915 31 Days October Mel knowey Ellot had the mining opertations at Rurselts handed over 15 we Vemon Sturdee took me over the position in detail. Serg Vence Thus 1ook) me 15 No1 outfer traversed our ling from Tarks Head B)N81 critfort from the latter got an excellent idea of the lay of the land the relation of Hopes Hote p relation 15 our galleries. It is proposed to try the new berring machine in driving t3 this spot Naturo) of the sorl varies fror eonglemerate (pairly hard) steff day (also haid) compacted sand. Rate of digging painfully stow according to Hervell He say the miners little better than faligues. Sappers are the best sappers are controlled by the Engineer fatiguls & miners are as fou as I'm concerned not they will have to put in a days work. Sff drive (average) her day is far, too low]. There reach /5 ft or letter in the greunch Will weed out seen by me. the miss re-organize the force average & should reach 51 3104 weeks. in P.T.O.

246
September 3 FRIDAY 1915                         
The OM.S. has his worries & today
was full of worries for me.
There was the hustle & bustle
of getting away from Cairo the
issuing of equipment & the
returning of stores to Ordnance
all thrown into one day.
To make matters worse my
fellow Q.M.S. was in a hopeless
state from drink. All his hard
work was thus marred thro'
a couple of day's bout wh occurred
on the very days he was wanted
most. The chaos was ultimately
cleared & by eight oclock (pm)
we were ready to for any
emergency. Col. Elliott took me
around the camp & thanked
me for all I had done but
I feel QMS Wynn deserves the
praise for on him fell the bulk
of the work. About nine oclock
I went into Heliopolis to see
Mrs Bailey and to ask her to get
the photos of Norm & Myself. I
gave her the Mater's address so
she could post 5 of them home.
Left the camp at 10.30. for the
station & left for Alexandria
about 1.30 am.
247
1915 4 SATURDAY September                       checked

Arrived in Alexandria before
breakfast & were a bit disapptd
with our transport the
"Knight Templar" (Z24) She
was a cargo tramp &
none too clean. ''The" sergeants
mess" was the limit.
Had a few fine cups of tea
at the buffet on the wharf.
This tea shop is run by English
ladies for the convenience of
soldiers.
Left for ??? at 5 o'clock
& was surprised to find myself
appointed ships Q.M.S. It
would have been far better
to have appointed Q.M.S. Wynn
to the post as his previous
experience would have proved
invaluable.

 

248                                       
September 5 Sunday 1915 

Beautiful smooth trip
Most of my time is taken
up on the parades &
checking rations 

249                                                                                   
1915 6 MONDAY September 1915            

Slightly rougher today
Mum & Cribby were both
sick

 

278                                                                                                                    
October 5 TUESDAY 1915 

Routine QMS duties
Excellent relations with A.S.C.
Using same fatigue party, specially
selected & explained the reason. 

279                                                                 
1915 6 WEDNESDAY October 

Routine Q.MS Duties

 

280           
October 7 THURSDAY 1915 

Routine Q.M.S. duties.
Swiped a sack of flour from the
A.S.C. 
281            
1915 8 FRIDAY October 

Routine Q.M.S duties
Order Form  -  see original document
 

 

280           
October 7 THURSDAY 1915 

Routine Q.M.S. duties.
Swiped a sack of flour from the
A.S.C. 
Order Form  -  see original document
281            
1915 8 FRIDAY October 

Routine Q.M.S duties
 

 

282
October 9 SATURDAY 1915 

Went around to the hospital to  
see Norm ^ N A Floyd Brisbane & was surprised to find
he had been sent away on a
hospital ship. Previous reports
showed him to be improving rapidly
but at his To started to rise is
was deemed advisable to send
him away. He had all the symptoms
of enteric.
I went up to the fourth Coy &
collected all his personal effects
including his Webly
Things are painfully quiet. It
is hard to realise one is at war. 

283
1915 10 Sunday October 

Spent most of the day on scoping
the "dugout"
Drew tobacco cigarettes & matches
today 2 ozs 4 packets 2 boxes each.

 

284
October 11 MONDAY 1915 

Pay £1.0.0
Wrote to Pater & Mr Bailey re Norm
Cabled to Pater "Norm ill hospital
no cause anxiety"
Cabled Uncle Bert "Everything received
Q.M.S. Fifth Engineers"
Rained today but the iron roof
saved a lot of discomfort. A few
minor discomforts will soon be overcome
by the use of a few sand bags
& then the old "dugout" should be OK.
Our Aeroplanes are pretty active today
& are as usual be shelled without success
285
1915  12 TUESDAY  October

 

290
October   17 Sunday   1915
291
1915 18 MONDAY October 

Routine Q.M.S. work
Improved some of the barricades
in Shrapnel Gully for the A.S.C.
Got an extra ration for
the men as an exchange for
sandbags & work
Got hell from Col GCE Elliott
for refusing commission. Told
me he was "not having any
more of my obstinacy of the 3 F Coy
days" in shirking responsibility
Led me to believe both Clogstoun
& Capt Bage had previously
recommended me promotion.
Prefer to remain the equivalent
of my other University associates
but in view of the feeling in
the matter cannot let personal
desires run counter to official
recommendations.

 

292
See Oct 23rd.
October TUESDAY Oct 22nd 1915 

Length of Drive of various tunnels
on taking over on 22/10/15
L 2   17' 6"
L 3   31' 6"
L 5   78' 0"
L 8   13' 6"
L 11  55' 6"
Put sappers in L 2 & 3
miners in L 5 & 8
fatigues in L 11
Distance driven during day
L 2   4' 6"
L 3   5' 6"
L 5   3' 0"
L 8   2' 0"
L 11   1' 6"
L11 consists of hard conglomerate
will try blasting
Met Brigade-Major Wisdom by
appointment at the Top
Listeners Report picking near L11
on left above 6 ft. away. Also
in H4 on Right below 3 to 5 ft
way. Stopped all picking at a
3.00. to personally confirm. Machine
gun made it difficult to judge
the distance but there is
"picking" at both places 10.15 pm
293
See Oct 23rd
1915 30 WEDNESDAY October
Diagram/Map - see original document

 

294
October 21 THURSDAY 1915 

Col GCE Elliott & Sturdee wish me
to take Lt. Howells position at
Russell's Top. He is sick.
Keeping knee firmly bandaged.
Handed over my duties as
Q.M.S. to Cpl Sandow.
All friends are now scattered
in the various sections & can
now see I should have
taken promotion earlier
Have to see Col Elliott tomorrow
at Russell's Top
Strangely enough I am to
go back to my previous job of
mining engineer. 

See Friday 22 Oct
Diagram - see original document 

295
1915 22 FRIDAY October 

Met " Snowey" Elliott & had the
mining operations at Russell's Top
handed over to me.
Vernon Sturdee took me over the
position in detail. Sergt Vince
took me to No 1 outpost. Thus I
traversed our line from "Turks Head"
to No 1. outpost
From the latter got an excellent
idea of the lay of the land &
the relation of "Foxes Hole" in
relation to our galleries.
It is proposed to try the new
boring machine in driving to
this spot.
Nature of the soil varies from
conglomerate (fairly hard) stiff
clay (also hard) compacted sand.
Rate of digging painfully
slow according to Horwell. He say
miners little better than the
fatigues. Sappers are the best.
Sappers are controlled by the
Engineer - fatigues & miners are
not. As far as I'm concerned
they will have to put in a
days work. 2 ft drive (average)
per day is far too low. There
reach 5 ft or better in the ground
seen by me. Will weed out
the men re-organize the force
& should reach 5 ft average
in 3 to 4 weeks.  P.T.O.

 

 

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