Diary of Henry 'Harry' Langtip, 1916 - Part 5

AUGUST 1916
15 TUESDAY 
Slept down at the
trenches at 46.
up at the hill
all day & camped 
at the post toward
47.
Got 4 letters to day from
Steve. Ruth. Lily & Billy

AUGUST 1916
16 WEDNESDAY 
same old 
thing
answered all the
letters

AUGUST 1916
17 THURSDAY 
Nothing doing
Same old thing
over again &
it makes one tired
I was reading some
of the letters over again
& I hope the war
soon stops as then
I will be able to
get back once more
Got a letter from
Bill Alford

AUGUST 1916

18 FRIDAY 

First fogy morning

we have had since

we have been at 46.

but I believe it is

very fogy in the winter

can hear the big guns

blazing away evidently

up a Ramarney practicing

Had my tea when

it was nearly too

dark to see & it

was nearthr soup or

stew.

AUGUST 1916

19 SATURDAY  

Camped on our own at

the trench near 47.

Heard that we are

going to Moasca back

to the details. can

hear the guns again

Got 6 letters to day

 & ain't I pleased.

They were from Lily [[?C]]

Millie Ruth Lizza

& Harry Potter.

it is the biggest mail

that I have got

AUGUST 1916
20 SUNDAY 
Nothing fresh.
rumours about going 
away from here.
I wrote some letters
and posted them in
time to catch the
mail.
This is our last day

on signal hill.
as it finishes up the 
week

AUGUST 1916
21 MONDAY 
Got relieved from
Signal hill &
down with the others
to day.
Been making barbed
wire entanglement
like hurdles

AUGUST 1916

22 TUESDAY 

same old thing

Went in to rail head

to load sand bags

6 horses & 2 mules on

w 35 bags of bags

AUGUST 1916

23 WEDNESDAY 

Were carring hurdles

over sand hills

& its heavy work

climbing up the

steep side.

On guard at the

guard tent & water

should of went to 

No 3 out post but

exchanged Bert

AUGUST 1916

24 THURSDAY

still on guard

at the water tank

This is the first

realy windy day

we have had & the dust

is terrible.

We have to sit

up till after 9

for the wind to 

go down

AUGUST 1916

25 FRIDAY 

Carrying hurdles

up to Signal hill

Just the same

old thing

AUGUST 1916

26 SATURDAY 

Working this 

morning but half

holiday this afternoon

I believe there

was a mail

from Australia

in at Suez this

week

AUGUST 1916

27 SUNDAY

At the Guard tent

this morning.

dont know weather

to write or not as

expect a mail

this week.

Were issued with

gifts from the 

V.R.C. and they

were the best

yet

AUGUST 1916

28 MONDAY 

Very hot to day

been digging holes

for the insinorator

& carrying up

were entanglements

AUGUST 1916

29 TUESDAY 

Working at wire

entanglements

then went up to

shift signal box

at signal hill

didn't feel too well

& got realy bad at

night. so got Ernie

to go on duty for 

me

AUGUST 1916

30 WEDNESDAY

Went on sick parade

this morning felt

real bad & got sent

to regimental hospital

for diarrhrea.

Dr wanted to send

me to hospital to

but got him to

leave me here

AUGUST 1916

31 THURSDAY 

Feeling pretty bad

nearly run my

legs off,

The stuff he is

giving me is

pretty roten but

it is doing me good.

SEPTEMBER 1916

1 September FRIDAY  

a bit better to day

but it seems funy

to be put in a place

with others and given

food & stuff to cook

for ourselfs

but we get along

alright

don't write home

because I don't

want them to know

SEPTEMBER 1916

2 SATURDAY 

got up at nearly

9 o clock then had 

breakfast.

after doctors inspection

we had dinner

then loafed

about till tea time

I cooked the tea

it was potatoes

pumpkin & curried

Rabbit.

SEPTEMBER 1916

3 SUNDAY 

Feeling well this 

morning so got

doctor to let me

go back to the line