Thomas James Richards, Diaries, Transcript Vol. 4, 9 November 1916 - 31 May 1918 - Part 21

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picked out especially.  The English officer and stretcher
bearers were arguementive but I insisted that the Germans
carry me.
Good news of the push is coming to hand. It seems to have
gone off splendidly.  Just as I expected!!  Such I large number
of troops over a narrow front could not be other than successfull; 
but there is the counter-attack stage to come and it is
here that I would come in with a reasonable chance make a
fighting name for myself.
The "fates" seem to have been a little unkind to me.

September 22nd. Saturday.

I arrived during the early hours of the morning at the 3rd
London General Hospital Wandsworth; I know just what kind of a
place it will be having left here only a short time ago. Lt.
Col. Bruce-Potter the O.C. will probably remember me to as I
made him feel a little uncomfortable once.

September 23rd. Sunday.

I have no cloths to go out in; Whether or not I have very
little inclination, not because my arm is painful quite but I
dont feel quite up to wandering out amongst the noise of traffic.

September 24th. Monday.

A nurse with a stretcher on wheels called for me this morning 
and away we went to the operating room.  I then experienced
me second dose of either.  The going into unconsciencness is
alright only for the nasty heavy smell of the dope and the
druming effect upon the head.  I could feel the Doctor cutting
for some time before I went off; I could feel him again as I
was regaining consciencious. H. Wilson called to see me and I
have receive some very pleasant letters.
 

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September 25th. Tuesday.

I have been out to-day with Hickey but got back to the
Hospital for dinner.  There was another Air Raid to-night.
The sky was full of search lights and the anti-air-craft guns
busy but there was nothing else to see and it was treated as
a joke by those around the Hospital.

September 26th. Wednesday.

I have been expecting my civilian cloths along for two
days.  They are here now and I will be able to go into the
City now-a-days.  In walking out I have had to put on an overcoat 
as I had no tunic at all to wear.

September 27th. Thursday.

I intended going into the City this afternoon but I did
not get there until 5 o'clock.  I had dinner alone and on
wandering around the City everybody seemed to have the "wind
up" and hung in crowds around the Underground Stations.  The
papers are inclined to laugh at the Hun frightfulness as
being of no avail; but from the frightened folk I saw last
night in the moon-light I should say that the German is doing
very important work in his own interest as these people are
all war workers of some kind and they will be going on strike
and squeeling for peace very shortly I reckon.
No German machines came last night.  I enjoyed my run
around in plain cloths immensely.  I got back to the Hospital
by 9 p.m. and found a letter there from the Lord Mayor of
Bristol wishing me well etc.
The weather has been splendid.

September 28th. Friday.

I went to the Bank and drew £15. I found that £69.11.0.
was sent from my Manly Bank on June 26th to Africa.
I saw F. Dingle and came home about 9 p.m. with everybody
"windy" over air-raids to a surprising, even ridiculous extent.
 

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September 29th.   Saturday.

I met Arthur Hollingworth, he came on leave from Camp
to see me.  We went to Ye Old Cheshire Cheese and had tea.
Meeting Helen Wilson a stroll through Hyde Park.  Dinner at
Simpsons and then a air raid commenced lasting a very long
time.

September 30th.   Sunday.

My name appeared in the casualty list to-day.
With Arthur Hollingworth and two girls I went to Hampton
Court and come back by the River.  It was a lovely trip down
the Thames.  It opened up a fresh country to me entirely.  The
little camping huts and houses were very nice indeed.  I can
now understand House-boat parties and River side parties, how
congenial and pleasant they really are.

(
( 23/5/17.                          Rouen.

(
Looking out of the Hospital window surveying the rough
garden scenery waiting for a train en route for London, my
mind reflects upon the marked difference between the strenght
and colour of trees and shrubs as compared with with those of
our Homeland.  Here everything is fresh tender weak and fragile
The general appearance, though one of grace and beauty, lacks
solidity and strangth of character.  The softness of its
nature would not survive hardships.  How unlike our strong
and hardy trees.  Our trees dull in colour, lean and hardened
according to their surroundings.  Good or bad seasons there is
very little alteration.  Ever ready to fight the laws of
nature and continue to look bright and handsome. Our trees
                                                                                                                             )
and shrubs are more determined more imperishable more lasting.)
                                                                                                                               )
 

No. 22
1917 - 1918
Nov. 3rd, 1917
May 31st, 1918.
Arm wound in London Hospital, 7 months.
Football Camp.
German Advance.
Arrived in London, bad back.
 

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November. Monday.                                           In Hospital.
I finished up my last diary on Sunday, Sept. 30th it is
now November 5th and no entry of any kind has been made during
that period.  This is the first break in my diary keeping
since leaving Australia, I regret it very much though there
has not been anything serious left out, yet I hope there will
be no reoccurance of this neglectfulness.
I came into the Hospital on September 22nd.  Had my two
gashes sewn up under gas on the 24th Sept. but owning to the
operation wound not healing I went under clhoroform on Oct.
22nd and had the whole thing cleaned out and at the moment of
writing my arm is no better and will not heal up at/all, so I
expect another operation will come my way yet.  I have been
out nearly every afternoon going mostly to the Theatres.  I
have seen "Maud Allan" "The Saving Grace" "The Willow Tree"
"Chu Chin Chow” "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea"
"Palladium" "Topsy Turvy” "The Better 'Ole" "Coliseum" "The
Yellow Ticket."
Most of my Sundays I've spent out at the Wilsons, Gipsy
Hill.  It is a very fine home and the old people with the two
daughters are splendid though I do wish the Helen was not
such a love sick little ass.  It makes me very uncomfortable
and uneasy particularly as she is so small.  I spent one
Sunday at Hampton Court coming home on a steamer down the
Rover.  It was splendid on the River and I saw it from a
different view point with all the lovely little camping houses
all along.  Some of these bunglows were very elaborate and
fine. It run from Hampton Court to Richmond gave me a new
outlook upon River life along the Thames.
The number of air raids during the last week in September
were about 8 in 12 days and the frightened state of the
populas was awful.  Early in the afternoon people waited in
queus outside the underground stations with heavy cloths and
food stuffs for any sign of alarm to rush the station for
 

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protection, several people were killed in the crowds.  The
trains were packed to overflowing from 5 to 9 o'clock with
people getting out of the City.  If only an alarm came through
that a raid was expected the factory hands would run away and
there would be no further work done; and at 5 o'clock they
would stop work whether or not.  So that the whole business
London was up side down.  Women fainted and run about in their
night shirts etc. at the Hotels and everything was upset and
jumpy.  A continuation of these raids would have seriously
affected the ideas and minds of the people concerning the
war, and serious roitings would surely come about.

November 4th. Sunday.

I have spent the day out at Gypsy Hill having a good day.
A walk through the woods was a typical autumn scene and makes
me long to see Kew Gardens more and more.  The Dulwich Hill
Golf Links were on a fine elevated position.  In per war days
they were 18 holes now only 9 holes.  Lunch, tea and dinner at
the Wilsons was splendid.  The cooking is so different to
what I have been used to for years now.  Just like Mothers
cooking, homely and wholesome. I got back to the Hospital by
10 p.m.

November 5th. Monday.

I have a run into the Queensland offices but had a quite
time coming home early.
The war position makes me feel awfully gloommy just now.
With the Russians fighting amongst themselves, and almost compelled 
to sue for peace, and a serious outlook for the Russian
Fleet, if Germany can get hold of it the British navy will
have a very difficult time on hand.  Then the Italians are in
an awfully bad way.  The 206,000 prisoners they have lost is
an terrible blow, but the most significant feature is the
 

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disaffection that exists in their army.  This cannot be
estimated quite, but whatever prompted the thousands to surrender 
must leave the remainder of the army that is still offering
resistance, very deeply and sorely disatisfied.

November 6th. Tuesday.

I have been into the City with Les. Seaborn we lunched
at the Cheshire Cheese went through St. Paul's and the Royal
Exchange. Tea at Regents' Palace, and then dinner at the
Regents where I met Albert Barry with one leg off at the knee.

November 7th. Wednesday.

Jack Pidcock called at the Hospital and I went to lunch
at the Bedford Hotel, dinner at the Imperial Hotel, afternoon
tea at Lyons' and Regent Palace.

November 8th. Thursday.
A run out to Kew Gardens. Though it was raining and cold
Helen and I had a pleasant time in the hot houses amongst the
ochards particularly.

November 9th. Friday.

Lord Mayors show day. We went in 6 buses from the
Hospital to a wearhouse near St. Pauls, where we had lunch and
took up positions at the window.  The crowd opposite was expectant 
and bright, but in the main it was a manless crowd.
In fact, the people around about were either very young or
very old; there did not seem to be many middle aged folk of
either sex about.  The procession commenced at 12.30 o'clock
past our position and continued for 50 mins.  It was a
military procession composed mainly of cadets and young
battalions the Colonials were represented by small, odd
fashioned bodies of infantry.  The woman land and war workers
 

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got a splendid reception, while the two live tanks were a

striking novelty to the crowd.  The alderman and Lord Mayor

were gayly decorated in coaches of gold paint.

November 10th.  Saturday.

I got week end leave to-day but I done no more than go to

a theatre and sleep at Fischers Hotel, after dinner at Les

Goeblins.

November 11th.  Sunday.

I strolled along Rotten Row this morning and saw some

50 or 60 horses out with both male and female riders.  Crowds

of people walked up and down paying considerable attention to 

the riders.  Had lunch at the Officers Club and got out to

Gypsy Hill by 3 p.m. returning to Hospital by 10 p.m.

November 12th.  Monday.

I went down to Alexander Neilson to see about the cap he

promised to send me along 3 weeks ago but he was not at the

office.  He is wonderfully kind and obliging in his conversation 
but he annoying about my cap as I have to borrow one to

go out in.

I met Helen and had tea at the "Dug-out," which is an

awfully suspicious place, I especially thought so when I saw

the number of girls there and the way she sold me amber 

cigarettes.

November 13th.  Tuesday.

Lunch at the "Swallow" which with a cigar and licquor cost

me 9/6.  I was alone.  I then wandered down to Horseferry Rd.

and drew £10.  Money is getting scarce now-a -days and my

pay-book is just even.  I will have some difficulty when my

holidays come round.  I will probably get £15 from the Bank.

There certainly seems something wrong when 14/6 a day wont

keep a fellow going.  I came back to the Hospital at 7p.m.

 

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after a wait at the British motor school for E. M. Hickey
without avail.

November 14th. Wednesday.

I walked down Geraldine Road then buses to Slones Sqre.
found E. M. H. done some shopping and with 5 others from A 2
Ward met our Doctor at the Criterion Cafe and had dinner.  The
dinner was well served with champagne and we motored happily
home by 9.30.  The Doctors conversation was purely professional
He told of splicing up bowles and other delicate operations.
He told of the only case in which "lead swinging" was absolutely 
prooved.   A Tommy had trench feet and it never seemed to get
any better, the Doctors were all baffeled so they set to watch
the case and one night the nurse found a sling tied around the
thigh screwed up with a jack knife. 

November 15th. Thursday.

I buseled out of the Hospital at 11 o'clock and tried to
get to Gypsy Hill to meet Helen Wilson and go riding.  I did
not get there until 12 p.m. but we rode away for miles and
miles through hard streets and suburbs until we reached the
country.

November 16th. Friday.
Permission to be away from the Hospital from to-day until
Tuesday morning was easily obtained from the register.  So I
caught the 1 o'clock train to Bristol; where I met Archie
Powell and Bostock Smith on arrival.  It gladdened me immensely 
to find Malcolm McArthur at the station.  I saw a lot of
him and appreciated him very much.  He is over from Greece for
a commission and says that things are not over good with our
position over there.  I had a lovely dinner at "The Nook" and
chatted until mid-night.  Bostock-Smith must have his two
bottles of beer before going to bed.
I dropped in on the Comers and met a number of good
 

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friends.

November 17th. Saturday

Breakfast at 9 o'clock and into town with Malcolm
McArthur where we done the rounds and then had lunch at the
Liberal Club.

November 18th. Sunday.

I went onto the Downs met Malcolm McArthur and came to
The Nook for dinner, after dinner a party of Bostocks friends
gathered around and I enjoyed myself immensely having tea
with Harold Lowther at Ashgrove St.

November 19th. Monday.

Taxied to station at 10 o'clock and met Doug. Clarke at
Constitutional Club.  Lunch at Liberal Club and trained back
to London by the 3 p.m. stayed the night at Fischers Hotel,
New Bond Street.

November 20th.  Tuesday
November 21st. Wednesday.
November 22nd. Thursday.
November 23rd. Friday.
I bustled through the Doctor and the Register and left
for Bristol by the the 3 o'clock train was met at the station
by H. Wellington and went out to his home at Henbury where I
have spend the week end with him, his wife and child.  They
were over considerate and kind to me.  They have a splendid
car but the shortage of petrol restricts them in the use of it.
Henbury is some 4 miles from Bristol but easily reached by
the Westbury tram and motor bus connection.  It is a very pretty
area indeed.  Wellingstons are very fond of dogs, breeding
quite a number of them.

November 24th. Saturday
I called on the Comers' and found a ready welcome.