Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 19 of 26
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25/4/17 Anzac day Memorial service in the morning
sports in the afternoon, with a concert & supper in the
evening. Supper not over untill 2am next morning, had
a very merry time, all the officers being invited to the
Sgts mess
26/4/17 Easy day nothing to do, have not recovered from
the effects of yesterday yet
27/4/17 Nothing doing all day, we are having a very lazy
life. Paid £4
28/4/17 Easy day again nothing to do
29/4/17 Sunday To 14/5/17 In camp, easy times, nothing
to do, attended no parades, am feeling full up with this
camp life, paraded before the doctor yesterday; to be marked
fit in order to volenteer for France leaving with the next
draft. Dr gave me a good overhaul & was marked fit
then paraded before the CO & volenteered for France
being accepted, and granted 3 days leave before embarkation
14/5/17 To 17/5/17 Three days embarkation leave to
Bristol. Drew £9 leave money
17/5/17 Returned to camp, late at night from leave
18/5/17 Last day in this camp. Am to be transfered to
No1 Platoon tomorrow, for draft to No 4 Camp, from
where all drafts leave for France
19/5/17 Transfered to No 4 Camp for draft to France
20/5/17 Sunday In camp all day, warned for inlying
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picquet at night
21/5/17 Relieved of picquet duties this morning
22/5/17 In camp all day, nothing doing, camp life is now
getting very weary
23/5/17 Warned for draft leaving for France in a day or
two, equipment etc issued
24/5/17 to 26/5/17 Waiting for draft to leave, we are
definitely leaving tomorrow, everything packed up and
ready for inspection
27/5/17 Sunday Draft left camp at 11.30am,
raining very hard, the Depot band playing us to the
station at Tidworth, left about 12 midday for Southampton
arriving there about 2.30pm. We hung around the
canteens and the goods sheds in the station yard
untill 4.15pm when we "Fell in" and embarked
on the "France" with a draft of REs and a Bn
of the London Regiment, left the Port at sundown
and anchored outside the forts until darkness
when we left for Le Havre, arriving there at
daybreak, the boat was very much overcrowded
28/5/17 Arrived at Le Havre at daybreak and
disembarked at 8am, marched through the docks
to the 1st ADBD Camp at Harfleur. about 3½ miles
outside the town. It has rained all day making
the camp very muddy
29/5/17 Issued with rifle etc also box respirator
had another medical inspection. Leave granted to
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Le Havre during the evening
30/5/17 Route march during morning to Mentivillers no
parades this afternoon
31/5/17 All drafts have to pass through the local "Bull
ring" a training ground before rejoining their Bn's.
This is our first day, was detailed to conduct a draft
easy day, did not carry a pack today
1/6/17 "Bull ring" during the morning. Relief of trenches
all night
2/6/17 Left "Bull ring" at 11am after being in the
trenches all night. Visited Le Havre in the afternoon
returned to camp at 10pm
3/6/17 Sunday Nothing doing all day. Band played
in the Camp square, many French visitors in
camp during the afternoon, warm day, sun shining
all day
4/6/17 No "Bull ring" today, bathing parade instead,
all tents were struck in the camp during the day
in order to take advantage of the warm sun, &
give the ground a good airing. Camp generally cleaned
up, brilliant sunshine all day, we are getting lovely
summer weather now
5/6/17 Bull ring all day
6/6/17 Bull ring all day
7/6/17 Bull ring all day
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8/6/17 Detailed with 6 men to mount guard
at the Supply Depot of the "Bull ring", very
easy day, mounted at 7.30am
9/6/17 Dismounted guard this morning, nothing
else doing all day, weather much warmer
10/6/17 Sunday Attended no parades today. 1st Div
Band played in the Public Gardens in the centre
of the town during the afternoon. In town all
afternoon returned to camp at 10pm
11/6/17 Paraded for the rifle range this morning
we are now available as a draft, having completed
our 10 days intensive training at the "Bull ring"
Warned to be ready to leave in a few days time
12/6/17 No parades today, medical inspection, also
full inspection of all Kit & equipment, we
are leaving tomorrow for the Bn
13/6/17 Short route march during the morning
to Montivilliers, draft "fell in" at 5.30pm and
marched to Le Havre Docks and entrained at 10pm
train left at 2am the next morning
14/6/17 Train left Le Havre at 2am arriving at Rouen
at 8am, marched to the rest camp, where we spent
the rest of the day. Left rest camp at 9pm, entrained
at 10pm leaving at Midnight for Albert (Somme)
15/6/17 Arrived Amiens 9am & Albert 10.30am
The town has completely changed in appearance, since
the last time I saw it, it is now very clean and
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most of the ruins & wreckage that were blocking
the streets have been cleared away leaving plenty of
room for traffic. Many civilians have returned as the
town is now out of shell fire range, setting up their
small grocers shops & estaminets. There are many
YMCA & Divisional canteens scattered about & the
whole town has a smart business appearance. There
are many thousand troops billited round about
as they are now well behind the line. The
Madonna on the church tower is still in its old
position leaning over the pathway. We marched
through the town to the rest camp. Left the
camp at 11.30am for Buire where I found the
Bn resting, glad to be back again with the boys
16/6/17 Parade 9am, no parade during afternoon. We
all had a swim in the Ancre River which flows
past the village
17/6/17 Sunday Church parade 9am, nothing doing all
day. Very warm day. another afternoons swim in the Ancre
18/6/17 Parade during the morning & afternoon, swimming
after parades. Very hot day
19/6/17 Very dull with heavy thunder storms all day
Route march during the morning only
20/6/17 Hours of parades altered 6-9am & 4-6pm Very
dull & thundery all day, much cooler
21/6/17 Route march to a rifle range, fired well today
finishing early, rained during the morning
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22/6/17 Revelle 1am, marched out at 1.30 for a silent
night march, rifle range untill 9.30. Warned for
guard in evening, mounted at 6pm
23/6/17 On guard all day, relieved 6pm
24/6/17 Sunday Spent the day in Amiens returning
to billet at 9pm, very warm day
25/6/17 Did not attend any parades today, warned
as witness at Orderly Room for Pte Brown's B Coy
F.G.C.M. as NCO in charge of the guard on the 23rd
26/6/17 All day in Amiens returned to billets 9.30
27/6/17 Three hours parade in morning, battle order
scrutiny, drill etc. Parade in afternoon full marching
order for short route march about 1 hour, warned
that we are leaving here tomorrow
28/6/17 Left Buire & marched to Mailly - Maillet
arriving at 10am. Camped at "Notts Camp" just
outside the village, rest of the day nothing doing
The Brigade is here for about 10 days hard training
29/6/17 Training in Coy attacks & Bn drill, going
hard all day, very tired, very warm day
30/6/17 Brigade review by Generals Birdwood,
Walker, & staff. Mr Holman. Premier of NSW also
present who made us a speech, consisting of the usual
official "bluff" & "kid stakes".
1/7/17 Sunday Church parade during the morning,
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nothing else doing for the day, very windy & wet
raining nearly all day. Heavy bombardment going on
all day, towards the line.
2/7/17 Attended FGCM. of Pte Brown B Coy during
the morning - parade this afternoon on outpost duties
3/7/17 Brigade day today. Revelle 4am, parade
at 6am. Brigade practised advance tactics in
open order fighting, capturing several objectives and
villages, returned to camp late in the afternoon after
a long & heavy day, very warm day
4/7/17 Short parade in morning. Brigade night
manouvres tonight. I was sent on in advance to
find the Bn assembly trench also Coy & platoon
sectors late in the evening & waited for the Bn
all night. The trench which has been located
to us, is one of the old front line trenches and is
still littered with old bombs, rifles, amunition etc.
The dugouts & many shell holes near by are still
full of the dead defenders, these have been lying about
now for over 12 months, it apparently is no ones job to
even cover them up. The whole country despite its
much battered appearance, shell holes, barbed wire
etc is thickly overgrown with weeds, long grass &
wild flowers although the surface has been terribly
knocked about by HE Shells, thus effectively covering up
the dead men who are lying about in all directions
The firing line has now been pushed up several miles
leaving all this debris behind over which the grass
is now growing abundantly
5/7/17 The Bn marched up at 3am, and took
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up their position on the Brigade front. The
advance commenced at 5am, objective gained at
7am, returned to camp at 9.30am, no other
parades rest of the day. We are leaving tomorrow
6/7/17 Bn marched back to their old billets
in Buire during the morning, no parades rest of the day
7/7/17 Parade for 3 hours in the morning, nothing else
during the day. Visited the Div baths in afternoon
where we got a good hot bath & a complete change
of clothes in exchange for our dirty ones
8/7/17 Sunday Rained heavily all day, no church
parade, warned for ROC mounting with guard
in the evening.
9/7/17 ROC all day, easy day, rained heavily all
the morning
10/7/17 Bn parade in morning to the rifle range,
afternoon parade 2-4pm. Afterwards Bn attended
a demonstration in the use of liquid fire
11/7/17 Parade only in the morning, ceremonial drills
in afternoon Bn sports & games
12/7/17 Reviewed by King George. The 1st Div lined
the Albert-Amiens Rd, along which the King
passed with Gen Birdwood & his staff. The men
were in a very bad temper as we have been waiting
since early morning, the King not passing untill
midday, he received no reception, the men were
quite silent as a protest for their long wait for no
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apparent purpose. Returned to camp 1pm, we are
leaving here tomorrow
13/7/17 Left Buire 7.30am arriving at Bray by
midday, no parades rest of day
14/7/17 Parade in morning, practiced outpost work
Evening parade in the Somme at Bray during the
afternoon, very hot day, heavy thunderstorm at night
15/7/17 Sunday Church parade during morning, easy day
16/7/17 Parades in morning & afternoon. Coy in attack
and outpost duties
17/7/17 Rained heavily during morning, parades as usuall
on outpost duties
18/7/17 Heavy rain during the morning. Bn marched
to the rifle range, put up a good score
19/7/17 Parade full marching order for long route
march returned 3.30pm
20/7/17 Morning parade, drill, no parade for the men in
the afternoon, all Officers & Sgts under orders to
reconoitre the ground for the Divisional "Stunt"
on Monday when the Div is to have a field day
21/7/17 Parade today full marching order. 5 miles
route march in the afternoon, rained heavily during the
march
22/7/17 Sunday Church parade in morning. hot day
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23/7/17 Brg divisional field day, finished by 2pm after
which we enjoyed a swim in the Somme, a very hot
day, we are leaving here tomorrow, everything is packed
up ready tonight
24/7/17 Left Bray for Buire-sur-Somme arriving at
11am. In the afternoon swimming parade, mounted guard
at 5.45 this evening
25/7/17 Bn Qr Guard all day, we are under orders to
leave here any day for the N of France or a Belgian sector
26/7/17 Full Bn parade with packs & blankets
ready for a moove, nothing doing rest of the day, we
will be leaving early tomorrow morning
27/7/71 Revelle 4am. Bn "fell in" ready to moove
off at 6am, we are definitely leaving for the north
We entrain at Edgehill siding, between Albert & Buire,
in the train all day, detrained at Bavinchove near
Cassel & marched to billets at Zuytpeene arriving
at 9pm after a long weary day of travelling
28/7/17 No parades today, days rest for all
29/7/17 Sunday Church parade at Bn Hdqrs. A heave
thunderstorm started half way through the service
cutting things short. we just got away when it started
everybody wet through. Visited Cassel during day
spending the afternoon in the old town returning to billets
late at night
30/7/17 Marched 6 miles, full marching order. Afternoon
parade in billets
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