Diary of Herbert Vincent Reynolds, 1916-1917 - Part 2
FEBRUARY 1916
SUNDAY 6
5th after Epiphany
I was on cook house fatigue this morning again
peeling potatoes|
MONDAY 7
TUESDAY 8
WEDNESDAY 9
FEBRUARY 1916
THURSDAY 10
FRIDAY 11
I was inoculated for Typhoid this morning we all
have to be done before leaving for Egypt No. 6 Coy
were kept at squad drill on the ground near the camp
all the afternoon. I went into Weymouth & spent the
evening at the Jubilee Hall with a couple of other chaps
but our arms prevented us enjoying ourselves much.
SATURDAY 12
We have all had a pretty bad time with the effects
of the inoculation we were given a day off.
Memo.
FEBRUARY 1916
SUNDAY 13
6th after Epiphany
most of us have been feeling pretty crook with
the effects of the inoculation today.
MONDAY 14
I went into the jubilee hall & spent the
evening there. Andy Fisher inspected us this afternoon
we marched past him & received a short address from
him. He told us about how the Aust people apreciated
our efforts on Gallipoli, & thanked us for same.
TUESDAY 15
I was on Cook house fatigue peeling potatoes
this morning A concert was given to the Austrns
at the jubilee hall this afternoon but I did not go.
WEDNSEDAY 16
FEBRUARY 1916
THURSDAY 17
I took on the job of Mess orderlie today permanently
FRIDAY 18
We were paid today.
SATURDAY 19
I spent the evening at the Westham
picture show
Memo.
FEBRUARY 1916
SUNDAY 20
Septuagesima
We were all issued with gas helmets & a few
other articals today & have been buisy putting
our kits together.
ringing in our ears as the Depot band played us off
MONDAY 21
It has been a very wet day & we have been buisy getting
our kit together ready to leave camp. We left camp
about 9-30 pm & marched into Weymouth Stn
& entrained we were the first part of the draft
being 500 strong the train left at 11 pm & we left
Weymouth with the strains of Aust will be there
TUESDAY 22
Tea & a cake each was served to us at Exeter & we got to
Devonport about 5 am we went on board the Kingstonian
about 6 am, mules & other gear was loaded during the
morning & we started to leave at 12 noon & passed
the Eddystone lighthouse at 4 pm. There are 1250
troops on board & 500 mules.
WEDNESDAY 23
The two TBDs that were with us last night were
gone this morning at daybreak
FEBRUARY 1916
THURSDAY 24
S. Matthias
I started work in the hospital this morning, but
met with an accident at about 1 pm by falling
& scalding my face & right arm, which necessitated
me staying in the hospital as a patient.
FRIDAY 25
I took things very quietly today & stayed in my
bunk. A couple of practice shots were fired
this afternoon from the gun at the stern
SATURDAY 26
My eyes are pretty right today & I got out & did
a bit of work. We passed Gibralta at 12 noon but
did not call in there.
Memo.
The Kingstonian is a single screw boat belonging to
the Leyland line she was built in 1901.
FEB.—MARCH 1916
SUNDAY 27
Sexagesima
My face & arm much better & I was discharged
from the Hospital.
MONDAY 28
We are still in sight of land & have been following
the coast of Africa up since passing Gibralta
The sea has been pretty calm so far.
TUESDAY 29
The weather is rather dull & a bit of a swell
has been rocking the boat about a great deal
I have been feeling very rotten all day
No land has been in sight today.
WEDNESDAY 1 MARCH
S. David
I have been feeling very rotten all day but
still kept at work. A destroyer passed us
today. Everyone was on the look out for subs today
as they are reported to be in the vicinity of these
waters every precaution is being taken against
attack.
MARCH 1916
THURSDAY 2
Every body was on the nerve last night as enemy
submarines were in our vicinity I have been
feeling pretty tight today the sea has been pretty
calm
FRIDAY 3
The sea has been extremely calm all day, things have
been got ready for disembarkation which will
probably be tomorrow a minelayer put in an appearance
about 3 pm & is now escorting us being in front.
We arrived in Alexandria this morning about 7 am
& remained anchored in the harbour all day.
Memo.
MARCH 1916
SUNDAY 5
Quinquagesima
We pulled in to the wharf about 6 am & began unloading
the mules. Our boys disembarked soon after dinner & we
set off for Cairo by rail at 3 pm arriving there about 9 pm
we marched from stn to the Overseas Base Camp at
Gizeh where we got blankets etc & bivouacked in the open for
the night.
MONDAY 6
This camp is about 3 miles from Cairo & is amongst some
fine buildings. I went to the Agricultural hall for
my kit bag this afternoon but did not get it.
TUESDAY 7
We went for a march this morning along the
Pyramids road to the Zoo & back.
WEDNESDAY 8
Ash Wednesday
I was detailed off for duty with the quarter
guard at 6 pm & did picquet from 8 till 10 pm.
I drew my first kit bag from the stores this afternoon.
MARCH 1916
THURSDAY 9
All the infty moved out of camp this morning at 7 am
We were relieved from guard at 9 am & had the
rest of the day off I went out to Heliopolis.
FRIDAY 10
All A M C men were warned to move out of camp at 5 pm.
we got on a tram & proceeded to the Cairo central stn.
leaving there for Ismalia at 7 pm & arriving there
about 11.30 pm. We made ourselves comfortable on the
stn & got a few hours sleep. I got into the guard van
& laid down for a few hours rest.
Saturday 11
I got up about 6 am & three of us got left behind so we
got on a boat & went down the canal to Sirapin arriving
there about 9.30 pm we reported to our unit &
got things fixed up near all the chaps are new ones
Memo.
MARCH 1916
SUNDAY 12
1st in Lent
Church parade was held at 8.30 am I met some
old mates on the 8th Batt today.
MONDAY 13
We had a parade before breakfast at 7 am one at 9 am
& another at 2 pm. I was mess orderlie today
& drew rations from the A S C this afternoon
TUESDAY 14
We were all inoculated for Typhoid this morning
& went down for a march to the canal this afternoon
I met Jack Allen & J Harris tonight.
WEDNESDAY 15
Ember Day
We had a holiday this afternoon
MARCH 1916
THURSDAY 16
I have been on water picquet all day being on duty
from 10 am to 2 pm went down to the canal for a
swim this afternoon I got a few things from
the canteen on the way back
FRIDAY 17
S. Patrick. Bank Holiday in Ireland
We were paid today.
SATURDAY 18
The wind has been rather boisterous & has been driving
the sand & dust before it in great clouds I was on fatigue
work today.
Memo.
MARCH 1916
SUNDAY 19
2nd in Lent
The atmosphere is very clear after the refreshing
rain that fell through the night HRH the Prince
of Wales paid us a visit & inspected the camp this
morning. he rode through the camp amongst the men who
gave him a fine reception.
MONDAY 20
We set to & cleared all our medical gear & transport
out of camp today. I went across the canal & seen
Jack Kimberly who is in the hospital of the 3rd LHLA.
B Geo left camp at 2pm.
TUESDAY 21
We were taken out & given section drill all the
morning a swiming parade was held this afternoon
the 1st 2nd & 3rd Batts marched out of camp this
evening
WEDNESDAY 22
We had a swimming parade this morning & set to
& pulled down the camp after dinner the 4th Batt
left about 4pm & we left at 5 30pm & marched to
a siding on the branch rail where we awaited
to entrain The day has been extremely hot.
MARCH 1916
THURSDAY 23
We entrained at about midnight & left for Alex about
12.30 am in open trucks & it was terribly cold travelling
arrived at Alex about 4 am & came on board HMS Simba
about midday. I went into Alex with a couple of chaps
this afternoon. At about 8 pm we weighed anchor & left
FRIDAY 24
We have been out of sight of land all day the sea
has been extremely calm a battleship of the old
Prince of Wales class was in sight all this afternoon
away astern. We are doing about 9 or 10 knots
SATURDAY 25
Annunciation. Lady Day
I was mess orderlie today it is a job none of us is too
keen on.
Memo.
MARCH 1916
SUNDAY 26
3rd in Lent
It has been extremely wet today heavy showers fell & interrupted
church parade but it was carried through.
MONDAY 27
Passed Malta at 6.30am passed french submarine
the sea was very calm
TUESDAY 28
Passed Sardinia Is the sea is moderately calm
WEDNESDAY 29
We sighted a vessel away to our starboard bow about 8 30 am a little
later we fired a practice shot from our gun with the result that the boat
stopped & after a few peculiar manouvres came straight for us & both
vessels kept signalling each other it turned out to be a French vessell
& she sailed away astern of us. Land was sighted about 2 pm & we got
into port about 8 pm.
MARCH-APRIL 1916
L'Orang waited a couple of hrs at 8pm.
THURSDAY 30
Everyone was astir early to get a glimpse of Marsailles
we went in alongside the wharf & began unloading about 7am.
I helped to unload the sick patients this morning & we went ashore
about 2 pm marched to a railway siding about 3 ml away & entrained
we were put in 3rd class carriages & left at about 2 35 pm a large number
of bosches are employed at the wharfs & stations.
FRIDAY 31
We had a very uncomfortable time in the train last night there
being 8 of us in one small compt. The country through which we are
travelling is beautiful it is all under cultivation. From Marsailles
the country is extremely hilly & there are numerous tunnells
one through which we passed must be about 5 miles long.
SATURDAY 1 APRIL
The scenery in this country is beautiful We passed through
Amiens & Versailles & stopped for tea in Abbeville, after leaving
there the country is very marshy & evidince of the war becomes
more & more pronounced as we got to our destination
Versailles 6.30 am got a good reception Amiens 2 55pm
APRIL 1916
(Steenbecque)
SUNDAY 2
54th in Lent
We spent another very uncomfortable night till 3am when we
disentrained at Steenbecque Stn & marched to a village about 10 miles away
called Strazelle we passed through Hazelbrouck & Borre We are
put up in old farm buildings for the time being I am in an old loft
with 22 others Germans occupied this place Oct 1914
MONDAY 3
We have been getting things straightened up around the
place today It has been a beautiful day & the airmen have
made the best of it a great number of our planes flew
overhead during the day
TUESDAY 4
The day has been very cold we went for a march
this morning.
WEDNESDAY 5
We were all inoculated vacinated this morning and
had the afternoon to ourselves I went for a walk out to
Merris about 2 miles out towards the firing line with
a couple of other chaps & spent the evening at the YMCA
where a picture show was being given.
APRIL 1916
THURSDAY 6
Everyone was issued with two gass helmets this afternoon
I went to the pictures at the YMCA this evening
FRIDAY 7
I have been on fatigue work & was warned
to be ready to go out to the Divisional baths at 8am
tomorrow with a fatigue party
SATURDAY 8
I went out with a party of 24 to the baths at Meteren
way in the morning & returned at 5pm we were going to
stay out there but those orders were cancelled & we had
to return at 5pm to our billet at Strazele
Memo.
APRIL 1916
SUNDAY 9
Passion Sunday
I went with a party of 24 to the baths again
& remained there all day.
MONDAY 10
We were turned out early & got packed up ready
to leave which we did at about 9 am we marched
through Merris & arrived at our new billet in an old
school building in Outtersteene about 10.30 am I got in
a room with 9 others & we are very comfortable.
TUESDAY 11
It turned out rather wet today. we were paid
this afternoon. I drew 10 francs 7p.
WEDNESDAY 12
APRIL 1916
THURSDAY 13
We went for a march to Meterer this morning & had
a bath ay the baths between this village & Merris this
afternoon I sent the evening at a concert at the
YMCA conducted by Capt Mac of the 4 Batt.
FRIDAY 14
Had a trip to Bailleul in one of the motor ambulances
just before dinner.
SATURDAY 15
We went f0r a march through Vieux-Berquin, Straziele
& Merris this morning. I went into Balille with a couple
of other chaps this afternoon & seen the interior of St Waass
Church we also went to the picture show at the YMCA
at 5.30pm.
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