Diary of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 6 August 1915 - 17 May 1916 - Part 5 of 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Apcar Leslie De Vine Diaries
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000331
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

an anjection G. Goveral Bodnood ce if wale order olou sry off teo cecelled, not nvery wtitl Meely 29/3/14. Suasile tody full maraty orders, addrene ye cae stary laret i lues it nyst 21/3/16 Brade tod with fill merely order, o prove ts ofterion went be sum in the lovel ight durydg head stet we on to leave here ton aftern 22/3/14 Brace tod with full fuct ndoder to lia ot 4 p m thaftn with full ebzedse it a pr te maked r the cord toun tation where we lnorked itill 3.30 aemaing he liat 230 23/3/16 Enternid for Abscondrin at 3.30 am arny there or 12 middy, enbussed on the Oet 85. Simte ot 190, manyee soo i ofter to get off thoby esip up town for a fer hous di the efterion; got lack bupe whe st scile shy cailed ofg p left suneal men on thee nol got whe tewn edie not come back in time 24/3/16 at Sea, one muster prode ot 9456 men fren a ey left at Alexandria3
men all teld from the Prn a 23/3/14 Carod ct 9.45 A lg. md guced tod at 1.30 g men repused necong the wol of the cor used up veluely all dutee etc, vis detaled o R. 0.C soenti with tte guaed of 1.30, no duties for the 20.C pr we ee of te dy incoulded for whe second time tody 20/3/16 Sinda H O.O will returnd at 1.30 f B. Er R.O.C. Sencl cwa of en dney te da weath ile i lote in t efterroi, ody getty mich colder 24/3/14 Reached Morte ear mornng, cruised about antride warte for orders for a frw heves ecen orders to par and myo out of sylt of Mlolta muder 201 bessed a few slar c the day pocte the nory with & full fuct 29/3/14 Parade full wereby orde raned pelt beay duy the dy ver at e miscritle renitod starduy de eftercin, sexit t arence at Mancell towards and wanter herbour a warter wtite da ltt before besty
30/3/14 Ans of our bershe and u before buckfort nanp y t the Micanall a we pited ut whotta ver tergidved ths have before is disentukled it I pmm for the tran recched the station a left at 3.30 for an unknown destrrction areved at Orcize atea sine hd rm saved out oftenered entray I settlice daw for the ight brutry sheugh ry prtf county 31/3/16 Buche Lyen at den with gerred through just as dawm wis benkin hod dckfort at Macon at 8 am still lase no tanlede where we a land fr had th at Les Lavines, where Iwil toe villiage to by head sto me dgre there pe two haa left at y seped to be it Bei o te many Yes1 Beaded Birz at davi backed off anto arother galven CRicin) unadt sezally at 630 e on to Owvers Sur Oise fee bekfert offer treckfert and a wai ef clant tham hate you stite donot kow when veceoy but them that we cre gay teverd the coort ofe sunece veaits we tevell a itite the meny 2/4/6 Dunden Ust 3owm pnd curiders et Hazclrouck, nec
4057 the Bele Warir Oolant 30 mle can hear the ly gis i the firy lane dent nomes par Thres, can hear the femengin adddy mach of 6 mile to cu billet at the villge of stepte, we mere bititia in the graincy of a farm alen the cointy road dert y2 mile ouside the Fulge, a all get a competable bed of clear strantI dise will after oue 62 hour tren Janra 3/4/16 baride full manly order 9-12 c2-4 te tenn aut o brin bee 330 un te d between 4 e5.30 you asen nt tamn eeturned M. Battt gout forr cold te wytt, could nt the for the col 4/4/16 Iwill worl onte tod we wld, somnert yor wate murch a many, squed dul i ite ofterion 5/4/14 Ve cold tod vet reate mech theh a vilnize which eccuped all na did not go on prad i ore ves in elege of Lill Iotyne the extened to viluge raw u to 8.30 p 6/4/16 Parvile tody liht mardhn order went for a march in ofteran was detaled for olyig prepet vonted in Villie Eghare W0
at 5.30 e st the niht w. te 2 Bullet letter from matther 7/4/16 lare prade themin at 430 por the some of two gos thelmet her men afteri the Br maiched to sbblin him for a becture in the use of the gos helmel we all pored though a truc bittec with the ges weain over hilmets, dilmets o effectie did not feel the effecty He gas in the least aftrew pond whenf arather track filled with a gos that the Gnes use o therr shel fo meky the eye smart I vater me psed theugh the trach unstants ind helmel on, as will on swert ye wuch at first other dinertution muched wel to our litter and pade dury te steria i faid 60 Bart p23 0 wert wle ste villge for the exi 8/4/1 Dad not coon jate th arav war left case i ca of the Killit guard all day, Lestes phate arrise too also litter f mather 9/4/16 Sunday n et iten church juade wts mar in ofe efert te sed of the de litt buch village helf i b 0003.
one billet one lassel wete act to jt iy be or the werey to a a bl neaver the fi dae be y soar spert the evely the An Maroe 10/4/16 Up at 5 ye ahs very jecly up or the lood 7.20, by much of 1o mile whough they lived to Meteren where he ere billitin youtea ite much of feet te aik a beert juch up o at will i Bartlenl for the red of the dy y eriece wtthe suck ter, pulld ylk treap, b bulacet ab be hend it te trebe; the will ball be on lest billet biped we go up to the 5 fivy live 1/4/16 Ove pride terg gun e130 you in every went vee the vidge of Miteren, sania a little tey the eftenoone well He sufic of the sends o grevy 12/4/16 Roned alldg, wert f a weict it gan in the san read o mudd egeeon, no prode its afterin Gary if teed; secuablerset iried t efteron 13/4/4 Denen marl all day farady rtfered on account of the san emady tote of the roads, myt furorte et 830 10930
40S 14/4/16 Parvill stonay wes weened thet yon wieke verla seriew us on the next day fanill tis dinse to pye for tonary cev palein the afteror at 1245 for as t mile reate mh with full pick, duy We murch ves causht n a ran c menst reads o muddpent wld retunia to Cillilsf Geze 15/4/14 was not on ruum toek Aly bey for dut dita fr inly fignet, wonted full malely ader at g am erenan in bills pe eg vde be murched down to the nasionel butt in the eterc where we all lad a beth a a chaminng if what t sive inter yot bin an dill ane in cxrbae 16121 Sunder Dac not attence church toety, ws lift on chese of bilect in oftenon wert it Beullenl wih Sgt Pamer vinitie the collectrul & chuck etod apa lock it ite to bent to billet dt 8.30 17/4/16 Tull Bn poce tecte fror nspcticg en Moch wes dyly ill the ves v wet mutfr the tse did not trun up on the eeme es pttaie, it va amound or parde Mg chok t
we wevld mord to atter bittal 7 mils necwr live, the wove heither on the rest de 130 peade with full yock for a 5 mill wite ch Ccngin it W90 184/16 Rwitle at 630 every th facked upreae for the uck g am marched out ot 10ge an a daungeve of can; roady we muder, mucched to Souilly 3 ol behra te pey live ycld awy all d send newer the hey lin get were emere rindy, gut the every in the town, moorey revior the fey line in the worny 19/4/16 Revelle at 3 an reve off at 3030 to much 3 miles newer the fery line revits ry mady i full of shell toles, frm a tomes are n mich saked about, revoted our Villet at Flembar at 730, duary the mny wat nt the village, which is by mich Bocker obet, He whole slare is an absolute wesk, had an alarm of S.i agnaided to ovr alarm fart in reve of the bey live, vey twed of the the two dogs wuechy, dust will 20/4/16 Roads much better todo, the sun has been shig foa few haus, ditated
1057 today wirk 6 men pr 4 h guoa at wale agtt Prt alent 3/6 mele fon ere on Climbarx Road, will newt at 10 am ternerenn, ret of the dy dy gieet 21/4/16 Marten guard at Wrte nyt get at 70 am aggtt quiet, sone acraylene advert alldg & nust taleded of a rand baver billed gone danaye cow Chish a to te lutee a little to ai lyft war hut, otheruse erth quot ented e decta the hote dey the couldit MORIAI to oar dire she every ehare sedill all nt wilt wer wer e meedd vnnd celled cot duey ill ntt 2lfte. Reads see andy any o the ean which hell all thagh she ryth, no pride duy diy, was called out a marched to alam jut it gan, vesvary oll th every reads mery wudd 23/4416 Sunder Quiet dey on the ribole, much accepave astar an en lie, narty guinl to do allda 24/4/14 Artilly Caladnet dey the dy e mmuch acrlene acting viscilled at it gpo he ad 0000
165 petyue to dy trench at the exc villet for welter in cor of need y seleed, dy tresty intite 230 rext meeng 25/4/4 Anjuedey Lgquit tedy sicct given to ench me es an extra retion, bit o exatene thy oftereon in billet, rest coyteon fire fom te cack terses up a bit preel gersed a fire lyae I get it inder iatrele inclay yean hour, in eveny met severcl eddhd lended angoe in te firt da wed met at agy he dauter e bd a ver gell tive totce cemalts 6olcble of Wer lest Wann, egt baner, Eve folducton, He g shill heyon d Willierson, Weneg 62.M3 Dewin, ensef were peert, also seveed frends, everylodg us og te efull it 991 26/4/16 Lood but of stelly tod. may shell fell near one villit searchy fr ane givs, we one hit hese qilexchye belt with t leg to tekte up our sere of a fote which t teson 2/4/16 eseife so men sort to the vey line to help the eoncees, fort fug lio s bere been in in trance, on fatyve all dy lict & bult it 4 you

an inspection by General Birdwood
& the Prince of Wales, ordes about
movg off tody cancelled, not movg untill
Wednesday 

20/3/16 Parade tody full marchg
orders, Am addressed by Capt Stacy
Covert in lines at night 

21/3/16 Parade tody with full
marchg order, No parade this afternoon
went for swim in the Canal, vy hot
durg dy heard that we are to leave
here tomorrow afternoon 

22/3/16 Parade tody with full 
packs, under ordes to leave at 4 pm
proceeded this afternoon with full
marchg order to 3 pm then 
marched across the canal toSerapeum
station where we bivouacked 
untill 3.30 in the morng. had tea at
2.30

23/3/16 Entraned for Alexandria
at 3.30 am arriving there at
12 middy, embarked on the P & O
S S. Simla at 1 o/c, managed soon
after to get off the ship & slip
into town for a few hours durg
the afternoon, got back before the
ship sailed, ship sailed at 9 pm
left several men on shore who got
into town & did not come back
in time 

24/3/16 At Sea, one muster
parade at 9.45. 6 men from A
Coy left at Alexandria. 37
 

 

men all told from the Bn 

25/3/16 Parade at 9.45 A Coy 
mount guard tody at 1.30
75 men required using the whole
of the Coy used up includg
all duties etc, was detailed as
R.O.C & mounted with the
Guard at 1.30, no duties for the
R.O.C for the rest of the dy
invalided for the second time tody

26/3/16 Sundy R.O.C
untill relieved at 1.30 by
B. Coys R.O.C. Several showers
of rain durg the dy. weather
cleared up late in the 
afternoon, evengs gettg much 
colder

27/3/16 Reached Malta eary this 
morng, cruised about outside waitg
for orders for a few hours, received
orders to proceed on our wy was
out of sight of Malta by midday 

28/3/16 Passed a few islands durig 
the day. parade this morning with 
full pack

29/3/16 Parade full marchg order 
rained prety heavy durg the dy 
vy wet & miserable, ran into a 
storm durg the afternoon, expect 
to arrive at Marseills tomorrow 
arrd in outer harbour & waited 
untill dy lght before berthg 

 

30/3/16 Arrived at our berth & 
tied up before breakfast, newspapes 
sy that the Minneapollis a ship 
we picked up at Malta was 
torpedoed two hours behind us 
disembarked at 2 pm for the tran 
reached the station & left at 
3.30 for an unknown destination. 
arrived at Orange at 11 pm & had 
some hot rum served out afterwards 
entraing & settled down for the 
night, travelg through vy prety county 

31/3/16 Reached Lyons at daybreak. 
passed through just 
as dawn was breaking. Had 
breakfast at Macon at 8 am 
Still have no knowledge where we 
are bound for, had tea at 
Les Hommes where I went into the 
villiage to buy bread etc, we stayed 
there for two hours & left at 7 pm 
expect to be at Paris by the morng

1/4/16 Reached Paris at dawn & 
branched off on to another railway 
(The Nord) arrd at Versalles at 6.30 
& on to Ouvers Sur Oise for 
breakfast, after breakfast and a wait 
of about 1 hour leave gain still 
do not know where we are gong to 
but know that we are gong 
towards the coast, after several 
waits we traveld on untill the 
morng. 

2/4/16 Sunday Up at 3.30 am found 
ourselves at Hazebrouck, near

 

the Belgium border (about 30 mils) 
can hear the big guns firing in 
the firg line, about 12 miles from 
Ypres, can hear the German guns 
all day, march of 6 mils to our 
billet at the villge of Staple; we 
were billeted in the grainery of a farm 
alog the county road about ½ mile 
outside the villge, we all got a 
comfortable bed of clean straw & I 
slept well after our 62 hours 
train journey 

3/4/16 Parade full marchg order 
9-12 & 2 -4. The town out 
of bounds before 3.30 wine & 
beer ony sold between 4 & 5.30 
pm, went into town, & returned 
to billet by 6 pm vy cold to 
nght, could not sleep for the cold. 

4/4/16 Full marchg ordes tody 
Vy cold, so went for a route 
march in morng, squad drill in 
the afternoon 

5/4/16 Vy cold tody. went for 
route march through a viliage 
which occupied all the morng 
did not go on parade in afternoon 
was in charge of QM Fatigue 
time extended to vilage now 
up to 8.30 pm 

6/4/16 Parade tody lght marchg 
order. went for a march. 
in afternoon was detailed for inlying 
picquet mounted in villge square

 

at 5.30 & slept the night in No 
2 Billet, letter from mother 

7/4/16 Eary parade this morning 
at 7.30 for the issue of 
two gas helmets per man 
afterwards the Bn marched to 
Ebblinghim for a lecture on 
the use of the gas helmet 
we all passed through a trench 
filled with the gas wearg 
our helmets, helmets vy effective 
did not feel the effect of the 
gas in the least. afterwards 
passed through another trench 
filled with a gas that the 
Germans use in their shells 
for makg the eyes smart 
& water, we pased through 
this trench without our 
helmets on, gas made my eyes 
smart vy much at first 
after demonstration marched 
back to our billet, no 
parade durg the afternoon, was 
paid 60 Francs= £2.3.0 
went into the village for the eveng 

8/4/16 Did not go on parade 
this morng, was left Corpl in charge 
of the billet guard all day, Leslies 
photo arrived tody also letter from 
mother 

9/4/16 Sunday Did not attend 
church parade this morng, in afternoon 
spent the rest of the dy in a little 
french village half wy between

 

our billet and Cassel. under orders 
to pack up & be on the march 
to a new billet nearer the 
firg line by 7.30 am spent the 
eveng in the Du Maroc 

10/4/16 Up at 5 o/c this morng packg 
up on the road by 7.30, Coy 
march of 10 miles through Hazebrouck
to Meteren where we are billeted
finished the march vy feet
sore, with a heavy pack up
after a rest went into Bailleul
for the rest of the dy. Vy quiet
little French town, full of English
troops; heavy bombardmet can be
heard at the trenchs, this will
probably be our last billet
before we go up to the 
firg line

11/4/16 Two parads tody 9 am & 1.30
pm in eveng went into the Village
of Meteren, rained a little durg
the afternoon & made the surface 
of the roads vy greasy

12/4/16 Rained all day, went for
a march at 9 am in the rain
road vy mudy & greasy, no
parade this afternoon raining vy
hard, second blanket issued
this afternoon

13/4/16 Rained nearly all day
parads postponed on account of the
rain & mudy state of the roads, nght
parade at 8.30 to 9.30

 

14/4/16 Parade this morng was warned that 
Gen Walker would review us on the 
next day parade was dismissed to 
prepare for tomorrows review 
parade in the afternoon at 12.45 
for a 6 mile route march with 
full packs, durg the march was 
caught in a rain & snow storm 
roads vy mudy & terriby cold 
returned to billets by 4 o/c 

15/4/16 Was not on review today 
A Coy beig for duty, was detailed 
for inlying piquet, mounted full 
marchg order at 9 am & remained 
in billets for the rest of the dy 
was marched down to the 
Divisional baths in the afternoon 
where we all had a bath 
& a clean issue of shirts, socks 
vest & under pants, leaving our 
diry ones in exchange 

16/4/16 Sunday Did not attend 
church tody, was left in charge 
of billet. in afternoon went into 
Bailleul with Sgt Tanner 
visited the cathedral & churches 
& had a good look at the town 
back to billet at 8.30 

17/4/16 - Full Bn parade tody 
for an inspection by Gen Walker 
was drizzlg all the morng 
was vy wet & mudy. The General 
did not turn up so the review 
was postpond, it was announced 
on parade by Maj Maky that

 

we would move to other 
billets 7 mils nearer the firg 
line, then move further on the 
next day 1.30 parade with 
full pack, for a 5 mile route 
march back gain at 4.30 

18/4/16 Revelle at 6.30. everything 
packed up & ready for the March 
by 9 am, marched out at 10 o/c 
in a downpour of rain, roads 
vy mudy, marched to Sailly 
3 1/2 miles behind the firg line 
vy cold & raing all dy, roads 
nearer the firg line get more 
& more mudy, spent the evening 
in the town, movg nearer 
the firg line in the morng. 

19/4/16 Revelle at 3 am 
move off at 3.30, to march 
3 miles nearer the firg line 
roads vy mudy & full of 
shell holes, farms & houses are 
vy much knocked about, reached 
our billets at Fleurbaix at 
7.30, during the morng went into 
the village, which is vy much 
knocked about, the whole place 
is an absolute wreck, had an 
alarm at 8 pm & marched to 
our alarm post in rear of 
the firg line, vy tired after the 
two days marchg, slept well 

20/4/16 Roads much better 
tody, the sun has been shing 
for a few hours, detailed

 

today with 6 men for 24 hour 
Guard at Wales Nght Post 
about 3/4 mile from here on the 
Fleurbaix Road, will mount 
at 10 am tomorrow, rest of the 
day vy quiet. 

21/4/16 Mounted Guard at Wales 
night post at 10am everythg 
quiet, some aeroplane activity 
all dy & incessant bombardmt 
of the road by our billet 
some damage done by high 
explosives to the billet a 
little to our left , no one 
hurt, otherwise everythg quiet 
just visited by the doctor & 
Maj Mckie durg the dy 
everythg all corect, started 
to rain durg the eveng & poured 
steadily all night makg things 
vy wet and mudy, was not 
called out during the night. 

22/4/16 Roads vey mudy owg 
to the rain which fell all 
through the night, no parads durg 
day, was called out & marched to 
alarm post at 8 am, was raing all 
the eveng, roads very mudy. 

23/4/16 Sunday Quiet day 
on the whole, much aeroplane 
activity over our lins, nothg special 
to do all dy 

24/4/16 Artillery bombardment durg the 
dy & much aeroplane activity 
was called out at 9pm for a digging

 

fatigue to dig trenches at the rear 
of our billets for shelter, in case 
of need if shelled, dug trenchs 
untill 2.30 next morng. 

25/4/16 Anzac Day Vy quiet tody 
Slice of cake given to each man 
as an extra ration, bit of excitement 
this afternoon in billet, roof caught on 
fire from the cook house & blowed 
up a bit freely, organised a fire brigade 
& got it under controle in about 
1/2 an hour, in eveng met several 
of the old lads that landed at 
Anzac on the first dy, we all 
met at A Coys headquarters 
& had a vy joly time total 
casualtis 60 bottles of champagne 
Capt Brown, Sgt Tanner, Cpl 
Goldwater, [[?]] G Mills & P Hogan 
Sol Williamson, Sgt Ramsy b 2 Maj 
Irwin & myself were present also 
several friends, everybody was vy happy 
& full at 9 o/c 

26/4/16 Good bit of shelling tody 
many shells fell near our billet 
searchg for our guns, no one hit 
otherwise quiet, exchanged billets 
with C Coy to take up our share 
of Brigade fatigues which start 
tomorrow. 

27/4/16 Myself & 30 men sent 
to the firg line to help the 
engineers, first firg line I have 
been in in France, on fatigue 
all dy back to billet at 4pm.

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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