Diary for Frederick Harold Tubb, 1915 - Part 1

October 7/15

Capt F H Tubb

7th Bn A.I.F

(Lennel Scotland)

1136

1

U8

84

5

Thursday 7/10/15. Went for a walk

round before lunch. After Lt Thomas 
ol Adams & self went out shooting 
& had a thor real good afternoons sport 
Amongst our spoil were four pheasants 
and a snipe. I had the goo luck to 
bag the first pheasant I ever shot 
at? We did justice to afternoon tea 
on our return. Friday 8/10/15 
stayed indoors all the morning 
The telegrams in the papers are not 
reassuring re the Balkans. The 
resignations of Venezelos has come 
as a bombshell. The Germans are 
said to have crossed the Danube 
After lunch Col Adams Lt McDonald 
& self went for a stroll down to 
the Township to the Post Office 
 

Saturday 9/10/15 The Greece Govt has 
declared a benevolent neutrality towards the 
Entente (the turstors!) Things are only middling 
in the Balkans what? Let em all come!! 
Had a game of golf in the morning 
The cause and links are exceptionally fine 
After tea Col Adams & I went round 
the links and enjoyed ourselves immensely

The tone of the papers gives one a more 
confident feeling (this evening) The French 
gain 3 miles along a big front is good 
but things at Salonisa must be a bit mixed. 
Sunday 10/10/15 Went to the Kirk with 
Lady Waring and daughter. Adams Mac & I. The 
congregation reminded me of prehistoric times, the 
service and singing was good. Lady Waring's 
little girl of two years was on view today she 
is a bonnie youngster. Lady Waring has 
asked for permission to take us aboard 
the "Australia' which is at present said to 
be nice the Fusk of Forth. Col Adams & I went 
to the Church of England at 6 pm (thanksgiving 
service) Monday 11/10/15 Lady Waring 
is taking Mac & me to Edinburg this 
morning. Another small advance has 
been made in France (Paper accounts) There 
seems to be little doing at Anzac 
2.45 pm Mac & I are on the baulements 
on top of Holyrood Palace where I 
am writing this. We are in full view 
of King Arthurs Seat. This place was 
built by King James IX of Scotland 
The ^other part being built by Charles 1st 
We have a grand view of Edinburgh 
& the famous Queens Park  The rooms 
below we also have had a look around 
 

Queen Marys, Lord Darnley, Lady Hamilton 
the paintings are very fine the tapestries look 
old and splendid. We dined at the 
North British Hotel in Princes Street
with Lady Waring after having a 
magnificent motor ride from Lennel 
of 50 miles in an hour and a quarter 
the country, fields, heather etc are 
beyond description. We passed the 
Duke of Bucleuch at Dalbieth Palace 
one of the only two palaces occupied by 
others than royalty in Great Britain 
We passed Lord Tweedales palace 
the father of Lady Waring. It is called 
(Lady Warings brother is now Lord Waring Tweedale) 
Lammermuir Moors where there are numbers 
of the famous Scotland black faced sheep. 
3 pm Have just completed looking 
round the Chapel Royal. It is very 
old & practically in ruins There are many 
tombs there of the best known Scottish 
families Visited the Tailors then went out 
to 35 Spottiswood Street to look up ^Lt Mulligan 
We passed the castle which is on ^a hill the 
best commanding palace overlooking 
the City. As Mulligan had not yet returned 
we left our cares with his Mother. Then 
back again to the North British Hotel at 4.45 
where we met Lady Clementine. We also 
saw amongst many other sights the Salisbury 
Crags. We met a Naval officer Curzon Howe, 

whom Lady W ^of the Inflexible which ship I reported 
in my Diary of months ago was reported 
to have been sunk. The Inflexible was 
very badly damaged the time the Irresistible 
was sunk. They were 3 months at Mo 
Gibraltar getting it repaired their casualties 
were forty-killer. Lady Waring 
 

arranged with Curzon Howe & Naval Officer 
Cresswell to show us over "The Australia" 
so we are going in on Wednesday by 
appointment to do so. We left the 
Splendid Princess Street at 5.45 
and reached home safely at 7.45 
having thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 
Tuesday 12/10/15 Wet and dull 
this morning. Stayed indoors. Had 
a grand game of golf after lunch 
doing the 9 hole course in 49. 
Wednesday 13/10/15 12.50 pm. Col Adams 
Lt McDonald Lt Mulligan & self are on the 
Hawse Pier close to the wonderful Forth 
Bridge where we are waiting for a [[?]] 
from the "Australia" to take us aboard etc. 
We expect Mulligan had a grand motor 
visit in from Lennel to Berwick on Tweed 
early this morning we left Berwick at 7.30 
& reached Edinburg before 9 am. After 
having a walk round we met Mulligan 
at the North British Hotel had early 
lunch & then motored down here. My 
word the grand Bride is truly 
a wonderful structure. A [[?]] has 
come for us & here we are on our way out 
to the ship. Sub Lt Cresswell showed us 
all over. We climbed in the turrets & Crossing 
tower & had a real good look at 
the guns & everything. We felt in 
a most enjoyable time till 5.30 
when we left by the [[?]] for 
the pier. back again into Edinburg 
the taxi passing the grand 
property of Lord Rosebery & many 
other beautiful places. Went to the 
 

Kings theatre, but the show was not 
much, Thursday 14/10/15 Slept 
fairly well in a good room of the 
North British. The hotel is very good. 
10.30 am Here we are on top of Sir 
Walter Scots grand monument in Princes 
Street. The attendant at the entrance 
to who we paid tuppence for admission 
is a [[?]] & amused us vastly by
by rendering of 
In case of fire alarm the guard. We 
climbed and climbed to reach the tops up 
I don't know how many steps. The 
view is superb. Edinburg is a grand 
city. The inhabitants are Scotch "Aye" 
"Ill no say." There is something 
unmistakable about the Scotch 
& one has no difficulty in picking 
out other folks from amongst them 
Col Adams & McDonald are busy studying 
a guide book, while I am writing this
Truly we are "Cooks Journals" 

Am looking down on the departure 
of a troop train for the front while the 
cheers & strains of Auld Lang Lyne played 
by the band is wafted to the top of the 
Walter Scott Memorial with McDonald. 
10.40. A Battalion of Royal Scots headed 
by a fine pipers band have passed 
along Princess St under us & her 
sight was splendid & they marched 
grandly.

From top of Scott's monument 
The view from this point looking 
over Edinburgh is simply magnificent 
The beautifully laid out streets of 
the city is very noticeable. The hills 
stand out in bold relief. 
The gardens are symetrically laid 
out and admirably kept.

Te only objectionable feature 
in the city is the train service. The 
cars are unsightly and create a 
perfect din quite discordant 
with the beauties of Auld [[Ree?]] 
Scott Momument. Prince's St. Edin 
200 ft 6 in high, 180 ft top gallery 
287 steps. 
Architect George M. Kemp 
"A shepherd's son" 
Foundation stone laid 1840,

Opened Oct 1844 
Cost £15,650

14. 10. 1915

Charles Paterson 
Scott Monument 
Edinburgh 
12.30 Am writing this from the 
battlements of the Castle after being 
shown all over it. The Regalia & 
Banqueting hall are specially good 
the little chapel St Margarets is quaint 
& very ancient. We have been told 
such a huge lot of information 
interesting & ancient that I cannot 
remember any of it to write about 
Anyway it would take a book to 
to record all what we have heard 
& seen in Edinburg. (Argyle Tower). 
The view from the here over the 
city is ^one of the finest Ive ever seen. 
It is magnificent We are on the 
highest point of Edinburg. Soldiers 
are marching down Princes Street 
we visited the the room utilized 
as the State Prison. Am sending 
home views etc which will give 
a good idea of what we have 
seen 
 

After lunch in excellent Coy 
the Colonel & I trained to the 
terminus & then walked to Blackford 
Hills. We gained the top [[?]] 
where we were rewarded according 
to our deserts. From thence we 
winded our way through devious 
ways till we found a ta room 
where we enjoyed tea & scones. 
Having missed the train to 
Coldstream we were compelled 
to stay another night in this 
fine old city (The view from 
the top of Blackford Hill is 
simply grand). Friday 15th 
Spent a good night in the 
North British. McDonald deserted 
yesterday afternoon for which he 
will be curried on our reaching 
Lennel.  We went to the Lyceum 
& saw [[?]] Trials. [[Tictell Bruce?]] 
was in good form she played the 
leading part. 11.20 pm The Col & I are 
in the National Gallery of Scotland. 
It is a topping place the finest Ive been 
in. The paintings are incomparable 
Met Capt Prisk 6^th Bn. & Lyall, 
Miles 9^th L.H. & Lodge 8^th Bn there. 
The press accounts are rather 
pessimistic, There is talk of 
withdrawing from the Dardanelles 
I sincerely hope no such 

thing will be contemplated 
I could write much on this 
subject!!! If Australia 
had the running of it & we 
were given the men we would 
get Constantinople in my opinion 
 

The Zeppelins have been over 
again & accounted for killed 
41. injured 101. Its a poor 
think for old England; it will let them know we are at war 
they squeal at it why don't 
they find some method of 
preventing the raids? 
The Press reports today that 
the abandonment of the Gallipoli 
Peninsula is in contemplation 
Such an act would for all time 
destroy the prestige of Britain 
in the East irrevocably. It 
would have far reaching effects. 
So far as Australia 
is concerned, although we would 
retire in comformity with orders 
issued we would free that such 
an act would be unjust. We 
look on this place as sacred 
containing as it does the graves 
of our best pals. To abandon the 
position at this juncture would 
cause us great pain. We will 
fight to the last to retain the 
position and will always look 
upon Gallipoli as the grane
of a nation. We hope that 
the suggestion to withdraw 
troops is incorrect. 
South Queensferry 2.9 pm Col 
Adams & I have just walked over 
the famous Forth bridge. We went 
by train from Waverley St to North 
Queensferry & then one the bridge & then 
walked back to here. We got on 
top of the bridge the view & appearance 
is unforgettable. It took us 40 
minutes to cross. It is a 
 

tremendous engineering work, over 
a mile & half long & wonderfully 
constructed. We are off back to 
Edinburgh now & then to Berwick on 
Tweed where we take train for 
Coldstream. We arrived Berwick 
at 4.34. Col Adams having friends 
here we stayed the night at the 
"Kings Arms" (Saturday 16/10/15 
Here we are just about to 
breakfast at the Kings Arms 
after putting in a grand night

I see by the papers I've been awarded 
the V.C. for Lone Pine affair. Am very 
pleased that Burton & Dunstan & 
^Le Symons have been similarly honoured

"Last night under rather amusing 
circumstances we met Capt 
Forbes of the Royal Scots (a cycle 
Corp stationed at Berwick) He 
booked rooms for us at the 
Kings Arms & spent the evening 
with us.. This morning with 
other members of his Corp he 
turned up at breakfast 
to congratulations much. We 
went to their mess for lunch 
& they gave the Colonel & me 
a royal time & brought us 
out to Lennel in their cars 
I got an awful surprise. 
At the bridge was the whole 
blooming Coldstream folk 
with decorations bouquets 
flags etc etc waiting for us 
The mayor made a speech 
some one ^Madame Bulsher on behalf of Belgium presented me with 
a very big bunch of flower etc etc

I did feel a fool. With 
Lady Clementines help I escaped 
in her fine new car. Telegrams 
are coming from all over the place 
Many it. I wish they had 
kept it out of the papers. Will 
I get back to the Peninsula 
The Royal Scots fellows 
were very good to the Adams 
& me. Got a letter from Frank 
this afternoon dated 9/9/13 
with a letter from Mother 

& the girls enclosed. I wish 
I could get my letters Fromm 
them all at home. Glad to 
hear that Arthur is 
training in officers school 
Good luck to him? 
My word my experiences 
& these last few days would 
fill a book—I am a 
most fortunate & luck man? 
Adams & I had a look at the 
Merwick Market this morning 
It was most interesting. Farmers 
from the district were assembled 
with samples of their products 
buyers were in attendance. The 
samples are inspected etc & business 
transacted. Sunday 17/10/15 
Went to Presbyterian Church this 
morning & had a lovely walk 
around the garden, hot house 
conservatories etc. 4.40 pm 
Am sitting on the grass with Col 
Adams & Baker, ^Major Mears wa under oak trees 
alongside the keepers home near