Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1917-1918 (Vol. 2) - Part 10

90

experiencing a Barrage Table and

we have a particularly hard one to

work out with some luck it

may be finished tomorrow tho'

midnight saw me at it and there's

much yet to be done.

24/1/18

We were particularly [?]

this morning.  Physical exercises

for half an hour then gun drill

till 12.  We were due for an

early lunch at 12 and at

Sutton [?] at 1.45 to listen

to an illustrated lecture on

"Tanks" by Col Bradley an [?]

Commander of the "Tank" Battalion

on the Western Front.  It was more

or less a holiday for us for we

rode there although it is only 3

miles from the camp here.  Still

a very picturesque run for all

that.  The lecture was a very

interesting one and the lecturer

91

gave us some valuable information

about Tanks and their many uses.

Almost every officer [?] in miles

must have been there it was certainly 

a great collection of "stars".  The day

was important in view of the fact

that it was payday but in the

light of what occurred later it

was most unfortunate for most of

us.  I didn't turn in until just

after midnight but when I did I

most carefully placed my playbook

and wallet containing the pay I

had received in the one pocket of

my tunic and left it beside my bed.

25/1/18

A real Red letter day it was

and I'm still smarting under

a serious monetary loss.  As I

was getting up a batman brought

in my playbook which he said

he had found outside.  I was surprised 

but said nothing.  Imagine my

 

surprise when I found later my wallet

was missing and some stray silver

from my trousers pocket. Then Jones

came to light with information that

his money belt had disappeared.

The work of a [?] Cracks man

we concluded immediately  but how

anyone could have walked in without

my hearing him I don't know.  When

we reached the mess almost every

officer complained that his money

had been taken during the night

so who ever perpetrated the dash act

scooped the pool both a very [?]

naturally we didn't feel very tempted

to work during the day tho' we had

an exam this afternoon and a 

lecture on the new [Escaperator?] of

the 18 Pdr. later on.  Whether my

wallet and papers some of which

I valued highly will ever be found

remains to be seen.

 

 

26/1/18  We commenced on our week's

riding and driving School this

morning by [mounting?] over some

draughts and moving out to a 

hill route from the camp and

there doing evolutions [?]

by the mile. We've been thro it all so

one instructor hadn't quite the same

complaints to make as if we were

recruits.  This afternoon we went

for a ride to Sutton [?] it was

threatening [?] the whole time, so

we didn't stay out long we managed

to get hold of riding [?] so are

to some extent satisfied with our

[?] in General.  I spent the last 

of the afternoon and evening

working and naturally for the week-

end ridding myself of correspond-

ance suceeding admirably.

27/1/18  Saturday is very much an off

day Sunday worse still. I much

 

Parade was held in the Parish Church

and I was rather pleased for I wanted

to see it not from the outside but from

the inside.  It resembles to a certain

extent St. Paul's thro very much more

Ancient and peculiar to English

churches there is one familiar fault - built

in the wall on one side. That of their

Baron of Heylesbury whose home

was apparently the manor House just

opposite.  It was rather a cold day so

we remained indoors over the fire.

28/1/18  For the first hour or so of the days

worth we had to secure horses and

go out mounted. Those allotted to

us assembled as usual cart

horses tho' really they are improved

Gun horses leads centres and

 wheelers.  As we marched out in

cavalcade we wee a source of

amusement to the gunner's standing

about and had it been [?]

 

I feel sure they would have raised

a cheer.  Our ride was followed up

with harness cleaning and grooming.

So were getting down to foundation

of things.

29/1/18  Another Australian Mail

was in today and the excitement

was almost as tense as it was last

Friday.  We all appreciate home

letters altho' they are almost two

months old.  We reaped some more

joy in the Riding School if anything

we had worse horses than yesterday

and it almost impossible to do

any graceful turns with those

provided which is the sole reason

for our going out at all.  It seems

to be getting colder and before long

I expect we'll have further snow-

storms. There was another concert on 

the cards for tonight but I found the

fireside too tempting to leave.

96

30/1/18  We got up this morning in a very

discontented frame of mind just

because there was no early morning

cocoa.  Its surprising how one misses

even that small dumb of comfort

these cold mornings.  We had another

interesting morning out riding and

this time I managed to get hold of

a hack one of the officers 

horses.  Its very cold in the fog

before the sun gets up that the

day as a rule turns out well.

Another NSW Rept. marched in during

the day and we wonder when our

own Victorian one will happen

along.  As far as we know its

still at Taranto.

31/1/18  The last day of the first

month of the New Year.  Two months

ago we were out from Colombo

and a month ago on the [?]

at St. Germain.  The month has

97

certainly been a much more

peaceful one than the last during

which we looked upon 3 continents.

We followed up our acquaintance 

with the annual "horse" going out

with the four teams and doing some

manoeuvres .  Tomorrow we'll take

vehicles and go thro some of the real

shriff.  The afternoons are usually

fairly long for we rarely finish

up before 6 with a lecture for the

last hour I'd prefer it then to

after mess for I do enjoy loafing

in my room in front of a fire

and going to bed just when one

feels disposed.

1/2/18   The break in the weather hasn't

arrived yet tho it rained a 

little this morning just sufficient

to cause us to go out with our

Overcoats and make it objectable

for driving the [?] 

 

 

98

Fridays we have formal mess so

that means we can't be kept too late

with lectures.  The Colonel takes

a much deeper interest in us these

 days  and its very distressing to

some of us more nervously

disposed then others.

2/2/18   Another weekend has arrived

days of rest to us tho we spent

them visiting the lines to see

old faces, writing letters and

playing billiards.  The morning we

spent in the rain at our machine

range where we practise the noble

art of ranging.  I had a visit during

the afternoon from two old friends

who have been at the Front for 6

months and more and are now

over there convalescing from

wounds.   Its truly great to see

them again and hear of all that's 

going on there.

99

3/2/18  The day of Rest tho' not so

always for the soldier I went to

church in Heytesbury our 13th 

Century one and looking [?]

I noticed high up on one wall

evidence of a/c some precocious

mouth in search of notoriety  had

carved his name and the date

"1791".  Two of my old Sergeants have

been selected to attend a course

of Gunnery at Woolwich so I learned

on a visit to the lines today. This

afternoon letter writing and tea

were the orders of the day.

4/2/18    every day now it seems to

rain and probably the mildness of

the weather can be attributed to that

cause.  We went out with the teams

but got well wet in the process.

Still thats only a taste of what the

Western Front has in Store for us.  The

Col. still pays us a great deal of 

100

attention and it adds a little to our natural

nervousness in other words we all

more of less "Get the wind up"

5/2/18    We had a visit of inspection from

Col. [Cirtson?]  one of the chief British

Veterinary officers today so couldn't

take the horses out.  It rained again

so we were just as pleased and

spent a most profitable morning

Criticising  the Field Artillery Training

Manual Commonly known as

F.A.T. As  a result too of not going

out we were able to indulge in

morning tea at the usual hour

We N. O's Class do not miss any-

thing in the way of eatables and

resultant nourishment to the [?]

man.  Our remaining [?] have

been expected each day for the last

fortnight. So far they have failed

to put in an appearance.