Thomas James Richards, Diaries, Transcript Vol. 3, 26 January to 8 November 1916 - Part 28

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way into Hampton Court; this was very easy.
On entering the outer gates there were nine very
ancient oak trees in line. Not high or spreading, poor,
I should say, other than for the fact that they were British
oaks and had lived a very long time. Today, anyhow, their
commercial value would be very little.
The whole Court buildings are no more than two
storeys high but cover a large area in a strange style of
architecture neither elaborate or very grand, yet handsome
and strong, (bricks of a bright red colour).
There were policemen on duty about and a whole lot
of visitors. I first made for the picture gallery where I
was introduced to some "old masters", some of which were very
crude indeed. My first come-down started with the first
picture or set of pictures depicting scenes from the life of
Venus, Cupid, and Physie and Diana, by Giordano (born 1629,
died 1704).   He portrayed these lovely gods and goddesses
as big and bulky creatures. Cupid was a huge, overgrown
boy probably 16 stone in weight. Venus, as painted by both
Giordano (961) and Bronzino (77), is an immense woman and a
totally different person to my own ideas of a beautiful woman.
In both cases she is fully 15 stone in weight. (see page 59
picture 77 in Catalogue). Although 2-3- of the pictures
were, to my crude mind, decidedly poor, there were a number
of exceptions, notably a portrait by Hobbein (280).
No. 547, Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden was indeed
a pathetic affair and yet the catalogue claims for it -
"One of the most interesting pictures in the collections."
As a curiosity it may be all right.   As an example of early
work and an object lesson to students it may be a precious
picture; the history and association of the picture may be
of the greatest value; all this I don't know, but as I looked
at that picture I did not know which of them to be most sorry
for, Adam or Eve.

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Taking the whole collection as I hurriedly
wandered through, it was disappointing chiefly because
the ancient gods and goddesses I have taken quite a little
interest in were foully defamed. No doubt the whole
collection is famed for its associations and consecration
by antiquity so much so that its price cannot be ascertained
even if the art as compared with the modern standard is of
no account.

The huge grape vine is very striking indeed, planted
in 1768. The principal branch is 114 feet long.
The vine occupies and fills a glass room some 40 ft. by 18 ft. Its
average crop is 800 branches each weighing one pound. I
sought in vain for the statue "Leda and the Swan". The grounds
with Bushy Park are glorious although I did not have time to
explore them.
I met a Brisbane boy who enlisted in Canada, and
strolled up along the river bank past lovely boathouses and
rows of punts and boats for hire, to the bridge. Then we had
afternoon tea, as dusk was setting in, on the balcony room
stretching out over the river. Everything was at its best,
the light effects were wonderous, and as darkness gathered
around so did our outlook along the river and over towards
the majestic castle. Later the moon took possession of the
sky and its mystic lights showed up in grandeur just how
beautiful the upper Thames can be. We took the train back to
London at 7.18. I will not forget that evening. No!!
I bought a Robt. Service poem book after dinner at
the Oversea Club, and then went around to see some of the lowest
and worst conducted hotel and women, lower, more degraded than
animals. Bed at 12.30 as usual after writing to Morgan, Sims
and Williams.
October 10th.  Tuesday.
I am feeling very keenly the effect, already noticeable,
of going back tomorrow. Cousin Maggie wants to see me badly as

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she is very sick. I should have seen her but, of dear!
eight days is a torment.
Sent parcels to Bert and Mother's letters to
Hill and Hollingsworth.
I had lunch at Simpsons and enjoyed it very much.
I had a bottle of ginger ale just because there were all men
and a lot of military officers about. I wanted to let them
see that a poorly clad Australian ranker could keep his end
up as high as the best of them.
Waiters were very smart in their white coats.
The roast joints were run along to the table where the carver
gave you just the most suitable portion (for 2 pence). It 

was very fine indeed and I enjoyed it immensely. In the
afternoon I wrote up descriptions of the 40 negatives and
posted them to Bert.   At night I went with a girl down to
Dirty Dick's, and found it a particularly unique place with
animal skeletons etc. on the walls. The wine is noted for
being excellent, but as I had a full course dinner at a good
Italian house with a bottle of port wine followed by a big
cigar, and a jolly good one too, I dared not risk much of
Dirty Dick's wine. As I had booked two seats at the second
house of a Music Hall near Victoria Station I had to hurry back
there. The show was decidedly poor. I slept close to the
station so as to catch the early train without trouble, and went
to bed feeling very gloomy indeed, as there were many things
I wanted to do but had no time to do them and it might be a very
long time before I see England again.
October 11th.   Wednesday.
Had breakfast and got to the station a few minutes
before the train left. I had lost my ticket so had to sign
and will have 6/- entered in my pay book I suppose. There
were a few friends around to see the big train load away but
nothing in the way of a scene. All the Australian fellows in

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my carriage sat gloomily still thinking of their enjoyable
days in England and the dubious future ahead.
At 8 o'clock we steamed out and went to Folkestone
and straight aboard. After a very rough passage we arrived
in Boulogne at 10 o'clock where we were confined to a
building until the train left at 6 p.m. This was very hard
to take as our leave of 10 days had not yet expired and here
we were confined and between hotel hours too!!
October 12th.  Thursday.
Last night our train reached Hazelbrouck at 1 o'clock.
Most of the men went into billets for the night, but I got a
'wink' and slept in a railway carriage fairly comfortable,
until 8 a.m. I went into the village for breakfast, the
usual omelette and bread and butter. A walk around and back
to the station to catch the 10 o'clock train for Poperingle.
At noon I strolled back into camp to be asked and
pestered with anxious questioners regarding my trip and doings.
I was in a poor mood to talk, as in coming back to camp I felt
as though I was losing something very dear to me, and had but
little to look forward to. In my pocket I had little more
than £3/10/- now, as I drew £33 in England and left here with
quite £4/10/- in cash I find that my holiday of only 8 days
and 9 nights in London and Bristol cost me £34/-/-. This
might seem a large sum of money but when I come to overlook
my expenditure I cannot see that there was any wastage.
Motor cars accounted for much, but otherwise, barring the
£3/3/- for a flight, there were no big items. Anyway I have
no regrets concerning the money.   I had a good time and just
pleased myself what I did and how I did it.   The homecoming
was nevertheless hard to swallow and I felt that I wanted to
be left alone. It pleased me somewhat though to learn that
the Lower team was playing a party of Tommys in the afternoon
and that I would have to play in-goal. This I did and though

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I let one ball through the posts foolishly, I enjoyed the
game which ended against us by 2 to 1.
The weather here is decidedly cold and the days
are rapidly growing shorter. Winter seems much further
advanced here than in England. I never felt the cold at
all in England even up in the aeroplane there was no cold
that I felt. Tonight, however, I find it very cold indeed
and sleeping in the half-open waggon, but as I have five
blankets all will be well.
October 13th.   Friday.
The unit is now preparing to move out. There is
some talk of having a long distance to walk but nobody knows
where we are really going or what our mission is, although
as usual there are many conflicting rumours.
I woke up this morning from the most refreshing
sleep I've had for a very long time. It was lovely to feel
the good fresh air blowing around and to be wrapped up as snug
as a possum in a hollow log.
An A.S.C. party came around to play us football
this afternoon and in a very few minutes we were all free
and primed up to meet them. Our team played very well indeed,
the backs timing their passes very well and put on 24 points
to nothing. The ground was just lovely and soft. I have
not enjoyed a game so well for a very long time. From my
position as full-back I got a lot to do and often went up
looking for more.
My great trouble at the moment is that of getting
my diaries up to date. There is a whole lot to be written
up about my last 11 days' doings and will take me every spare
moment for several days to come before I get up to date again.
I kept a note book and made brief entries but my memory will
serve me in good stead as there is not a scene, no not a
minute of my holidays that I could not recall with ease.

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The bugle call to get out of bed was the most
mournful and awakening thing I've heard. Bugle calls are
a curse after being away from them.
October 14th.   Saturday.
All the packing up and waggons loaded in good
time this morning, so that at 1 o'clock all was ready to
move off. We waited at Hopoutre siding, well named too.
The day was very dull and threatening but rain hung off very
well. After some 6 miles we marched into Steenvoord and
unhooked for the night. Tom Carpenter and I went up town
and for the first time in France we got other than eggs with
bread and butter. Oh! it was indeed a fine meal. We had
6 eggs made into an omelette and a well filled plate of sliced
tomatoes and one of finely flavoured peas. It cost us 3 francs
each, 2/6, not very cheap perhaps, but yet well worth it all.
I went to bed early and slept splendidly.
October 15th.   Sunday.
I have had three letters from home lately and it
pleases me immensely to know that mother is so well and Bill
more settled, but for father I grieve, as he remains "just about
the same" and I know very well that this means a whole lot of
silent pain and hours of torture. I do wish he would get
better as this enforced idleness must be very trying. If he
should pass away I sometimes feel that I would be very thankful
as his lot at present and for the past 2½ years has been very
hard to bear even for a man with such spirit as father has.
Papers from Africa are fairly entertaining, but it
seems the German East campaign is dragging out a very long time,
so long that people are getting tired of it and asking questions
etc.
I went into the Steenvoorde Church and had a look
round. The interior is much plainer than most churches in
French villages, and it was the plainness that attracted me

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and made me more patient and interested. When I said
plainness I did not mean lack of artistic finish or emptiness,
I meant there was nothing in the form of gold paint splashed
and lined, or pictures of vivid scarlet, depicting some
painful and morbid Bibical scene, hanging right before the
eyes. A cheap, tawdry, glass and paint so often found in
village churches. Here, I could admire the hexagon pillars
and the arched roof without hinderance. The carved panels
and oak pulpit, as well as the altar stands were all so
tastefully set up and appealed to me after having seen so
much shoddiness about which many called decoration and
approved of. Different ideas of beauty, and what represents
beauty I suppose. Be my views on the matter be right or
wrong I cling rather strongly and longingly to my own style.
We moved off at 11 a.m. with the church bells still
ringing wildly. They do not appear to have stopped ringing,
but for a brief interval, since long before daylight. When
I first heard those bells I woke up and wondered whether it
was New Years Day or not; if so then where was I??
It was a lovely day, a kind of soft autumn day.
The sun shone clearly but hollow like a mere reflection of the
sun than the actual sun's rays themselves. We have 14 miles
to do before nightfall, but on a day like this the distance does
not so much count.   The deeply coloured clouds that seemed to,
in no way, hamper the sun, were very pretty which with the
trees and shrubs going into their winter attire with a series
of everchanging yellows, made a beautiful picture one that
impressed everybody and made their heavy pack lighter and
their feet easier. Fortunately for my old bones I was in
charge of my waggons and therefore pleased myself as to whether
I walked or not, and without a pack up either.
The hedges were thick with blackberry vines and at
every spell the fellows dropped their packs and picked some.
They were small in size, not up to Bulli Pass standard, but a

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great change and very nice.  We watched the blackberry
bushes flowering and dying off when we were down on the
Somme last and wondered then if the blackberries were
like the apples and pears; small, wooden and not worth
the name of fruit.  This is not so. I am pleased to
note. Fruit, taking a general view, has been decidedly
poor and awfully disappointing grapes of poor quality selling
at 10d a pound. In London I paid 1/6 but then they were
jolly good grapes.
As we climbed the long steep hill leading up to
Cassel the surrounding country could be seen for miles and
miles around. I did not count the number of church towers
and spires, but from one who did so, I find that 14 can be
seen from this large and prominent town. Each tower really
represents a village so that you might imagine how closely
the villages are together.
From Cassel the road was, as is so common in this
country, lined with a double row of tall trees.  Trees good
to look at and yet of some considerable commercial value.
But yet, our much belittled blue gum tree surpasses any of
the European trees for both prettiness and value. I have
wondered for years when our own Australian gum tree will be
seriously recognised by Australians themselves for its great
unrivalled beauty and value.
Somewhere near Buysseheure we camped that night.
The billets were very dirty and the men had to get busy and
clean the fowl and animal refuse out and lay down straw.
Some of the men chose to sleep out by the hay rick as the
night was one of the clearest and brightest nights I've seen
in France. There seemed to be frost in the air as the stars
shone with splendid brilliancy and showed up many hidden
wonders of the Northern firmament. The moon rose clear and
strong shedding a golden glitter around the old windmill and

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over the farm building and little round shaped hay ricks.
The night was intensely cold though I had plenty of covering.
Towards morning a sharp rain storm broke, and I did feel
sorry for the men out in the open, but fortunately the rain
did not last long.
October 16th.   Monday.
It was a long and trying march for the men today,
fully 16 miles were put through before halting at Nordausques
in the darkness at 5.40 p.m. It was jolly hard on the men
to have to find and clean up sleeping space on a farm building
in the dark. But when they did lie down the charm and glory
of a night's sound sleep was soothing and pleasing enough to
compensate for the hard and weary miles of the past two days.
Full 30 miles in all.
From a castle on a prominent position this afternoon
I believe I could see the English Channel near Calais, only
18 miles away according to my map. This wonderful view of
farm lands and nestling villages, distinctly different to
anything we have yet seen in France. At times the outlook
was something after Picardy landscape but never since we left
Cassel has the country shown up any resemblance to Flanders,
brought back to me the possibility of our intended destination.
Everybody is sure it is the Somme that we will eventually
arrive at, but for the life of me I don’t see how we can go to
the Somme with such oddments and untrained ragged oddments as
now constitutes the 1st Division. None of the Battalions are
up to strength as yet. Even supposing they were up to
strength as regards numbers, the question of their ability as
fighting troops is a very grave one. They will be game enough
and all that sort of thing, but the point that bothers me most
is that the men won't know their N.C.O's and the Officers will
not know their own men or neither will the men know them, and
in the country at the Somme it is absolutely essential that a
perfect understanding exists. Again the 3rd Division have 

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been in England training for some months now and if they are

not yet sufficiently well trained for active service it is safe

to say that neither are their reinforcement who have just landed

in the country from Australia and joined up with the 1st Division.

We may be going back to the Somme, our camping ground

for the present;  being near Calais denotes nothing, as the 

mainline for the Somme is nearby, but at the same time to my

way of reasoning out the proposition, it would be extreme folly

to go into action with the 1st Division as now constituted and

therefore I am of the opinion that we are bound for some other

scene of action, possibly England and then back down to the

Balkans or Egypt way.

The wet winter is going to knock the very devil out

of our dry boned men.  The cold would not matter so much but

I fear for our men in the mud and water of Flanders at any

rate. Perhaps we could hold out better to the southward where

the country is not so muddy.

Well, we are at Nordausques, for how long we don't

know or in what direction we don't know. The fact of the

matter is we don't know anything at all, at all!!

The searchlight beaming into and through the sky

from Calais makes one hopeful!!

October 17th.   Tuesday.
            The great event of a restful day was the voting on

conscription for Australia. There is, however, very little

difference of opinion about the matter, and but few voted other

than 'yes'. I voted 'yes' not out of any jealous feeling for

the chaps at home, but because I firmly believe that every

country should be able to call up its manhood in defence of

its birthright, not perhaps against the will of the person but

simply to ensure the most advantageous working of the country's

welfare while a war is going on. The volunteer system to my

mind is a ghastly failure because men come away who would be of 

more value by staying at home.