Thomas James Richards, Diaries, Transcript Vol. 4, 9 November 1916 - 31 May 1918 - Part 23

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January 17th.    Thursday.
I have written to several of my girl friends telling
them of my war wearyness and home-sickness. This, however,
(be it a fact or not) I have to fight it down, live right over
the top of it to fulfill my position as a soldier.
A letter South Africa, with Rev. John Howards card
inside, had Xmas greeting and a postal order for 7/6. I don't
like the money part of the thing but it shows the right
spirit and I am proud of it.

January 18th.    Friday.
There is much rain to-day but it is not nearly so cold.
In fact it is fairly comfortable. It was cold on Wednesday
night. I crawled into my flea bag with socks on and was
wakened before morning by a burning chilblain on each foot.
Jack Pidcock congratulates me in a letter over my being
awarded the D.S.O. his letter was dated Jan. Ist. This is
the only information I have of the matter. I hope it is true
but but I can hardly beleive it; as news would have come
from other souces surely.

January 19th.    Saturday.
At a lecture on Musketry by an English Staff Major my
eyes were considerably opened by his plain language and
common sense ideas. After three years of weariness he has
come to the conclusion that our form of teaching recruits
and more particularly men from Hospital who are old soldiers.
Instead of going though a tiresome lecture on mechanism which
is of no value to the soldier and bores him to desperation.
Physical training and snap shooting at any person or animal
that should be moving about should be worked in and so vary
the whole routine of the work and brighten up the poor old
soldier.
 

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January 20th.    Sunday.
The officers do not go on Parade to-day, though there are
Church Parades. I went into Warminster after lunch with Lt.
Bolton. The Bath Arms is considered the finest Hotel in the
village, but upon enquiring we found they had neither afternoon 
tea for us, or could they supply supper, as we intended
remaining in the village and going to Church. But owning to
there being no food available we came back to the mess, where
there is plenty of food but rather badly cooked and served up.
At 7 p.m. I went to the picture show and saw three very
good pictures.

January 21st.    Monday.
I reported according to instructions at No. 1 Bn. Camp
for duty and find that I will be attached here until I sail
for France.
C. Coy is the draft coy. and there is a whole lot of
bothering about getting the men fully equipted for overseas.
I shifted my quarters up here and find the mess exceptionally 
good. Clean crockery and cutlery as well as well cooked
meals. There are about 15 officers here only and it is just
the thing.

January 22nd.    Tuesday.
I find myself getting up a bit of condition again. The
physical exercise for an hour each morning is pretty heavy
and therefore a great benefit to me.
I took over the duties of Orderly Officer this afternoon.
The living here is extremely good, there is nothing short at
all and five meals a day. I should do very well here, as I
need a little filling up.
Parcels from Irene Bolton and Jim Miller to hand they are
full of Xmas cheer, and which I will send over to Bert.
K. Carroll sends a fine Xmas cake which I will not cut until
I join the Battalion.
 

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January 23rd.    Wednesday.
I find myself doing very well at present the parade hours
are short; the room comfortable, a warm bath handy and a jolly
good mess to live at. The food at No. 15, unlike No. 12 is
well cooked and well served. My mail has been coming to hand
very well, but at the moment I am worried about a parcel sent
by Dorothy Gregory from California on Nov. 27th. She is a
very fine girl and I want to see what her parcel contains as
I find it tells if, or rather, how practical a person really
is. I am still orderly officer. But its an easy job.

January 24th.    Thursday.
I had dinner with Capt. Hayward Moffat at the Training
Battalion some 2 miles from here; after which we went to the
Boxing and saw some good honest fighting. A letter from
Helen Wilson reads very badly she is ill and worried, this
worries me terribly too!!
The spell here is doing me much good. I beleive I could
exist without any complain here for months.

January 25th.      Friday.
I have been warned for France and leave Southampton on
Feb. 2nd. I am quite wooden as far as feelings go and don't
mind France a little bit, I can go just as readily as I can
remain here.
It is just 9 o'clock but I am going to bed tired and
sleepy.

January 26th.     Saturday.
There is no parade on Saturday afternoons. So I had a
good hot bath. After mounting the guard and having dinner,
(A fine dinner too: Olives, Soup, Oyster patty, Marconi
entree, Roast beef with three vegetables, three kinds of
sweets, Coffee). Then I bustled off down to No. 1 T. B. to
the dance. The dance was an awful faileur only a few woman
 

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turning up (10 in all), I stayed until 12.30.
Capt. Moffat as field officer turned out the 4 different
guards and woke up all the prisoners making them stand to attention. 
As it was after 11 p.m. they were very cranky.

January 27th.     Sunday.
I have been about the Camp all day while most of the
fellows went to Church parade and out riding or walking in the
afternoon.
The number of "Absent without leave" prisoners about are
most remarkable. There are 3 or 4 Court Martial courts sitting
every day on A. W. L. cases.
I was told that there are as many as 10,000 Australians
running loose in England. Its a sad business right enough.
Some men have been 15 months in England and never been to the
front, they are in jail or A. W. L. all the time.

January 28th.     Monday.
I went with Major Jacobs to the picture show. It was
quite a good programn. The stars and moon shone very brightly
coming home, and looked so very nice. The weather has been
dry for some time now but is pretty cold and I have childblains
on both feet and fingers.

January 29th.     Tuesday.

January 30th.     Wednesday
I had dinner with Hayward Moffat at the No. 1 Training
Battalion and with 10 officers I went over to the Hospital
and collected nurses each; I drew a very fine woman and enjoyed 
both her company and the concert party of two girls and
three men. The nurses were seen quitely home and I don't know
the name of mine. At the Mess Shelley and I had some drinks
with the members and got back to Camp by 12 p.m. and looked
over the guard and guard room.
 

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January 31st.    Thursday.
A party from our worthy Mess went to the Boxing tonight.
It was rather poor mostly on account of the fellows being out
of condition and unable to stay; things were willing enough
at times too.
My time in Sandhill Camp is nearly up now, I have been
here 19 days and enjoyed it very much indeed. I came terror
stricken, thinking of my last trip through Perham Downs but
it was very different.

February 1st.    Friday.
A parcel arrived from Mabel Richards full of good things
and a very cheerful note from each of the family. 1 large
cake came from Irene Bolton. These goods I am taking up the
line with me.
I finished up all my packing this morning and went to
the Training Battalion on my way to Warminster where I spent
the night in a comfortable bed at "Downside."

February 2nd.    Saturday.
I went up to the Brigade office at 9 a.m. and failing to
get a car back to Warminster I rode a long distance in a milk
cart. The train got away at 10 a.m. and landed us at Southampton 
Docks by 1 p.m. I went and had dinner with Hickey a
tram car run out onto the Common a look around the town and
back to the Antrim by 6.30, it sailed at 7.30 p.m.

February 3rd.    Sunday.
We arrived uneventfully at Havre about 3 a.m. going
ashore at 8 a.m. and reporting into Camp about noon. There
was 60 bunks for 148 officers on the Antrim so a lot had to
sleep on the floor. I got into a cabin with three bare planks
and slept very well. Dinner and breakfast on board for which
we paid.
 

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In the afternoon Shelley and I went into Havre at 4 o'clock 
and came back at 9 p.m. after having dinner and a good
look around. There is an awfull brothel quarter and the
people promenading the streets were not attractive people
though the were crowds.

February 4th.     Monday.
I have had a quite, lazy day and went to bed at 9 o'clock.
I met Miss Hindmarsh and General E. C. Booth. The
former is a fine Australian girl working in the Y. M. C. A.
I am reading "The Children of the Nile" by M. Pickthall,
and enjoying it very much, as the picture of Nile life is
well told.

February 5th.    Tuesday.
I am again packed up ready to leave for the unit at 8.30 
p.m.
Later. In motor waggons about 48 Australian Officers
besides some hundred English Officers arrived at the Station
and boarded the train for the Front at 9 p.m. There was the
usual humbug in getting train accomodation, so that it was
11 o'clock before we got settled down, five of us in one
compartment.
February 6th.    Wednesday                  Rouen.
We arrived at Rouen about 6 a.m. but did not leave the
train until 8 o'clock when Ferguson Morley and I went into the
town and had a wash and breakfast at the English Hotel. After
a stroll about town Fergie and I went out to the No. 1 Aust.
Hospital thinking to see Sister Pullar but she was asleep
so we returned to town and had a fine lunch at the Post Office
Hotel. The lunch cost 15 francs. We got back to the train
and started off again at 4 p.m. The night was just the usual
night aboard train, trying to sleep all cuddled up and with
all cloths on.
 

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February 7th.     Wednesday.
All day to-day we have been living on hard biscuits bully
and jam, and it was quite alright too. We reached Hazebrouck
by 2 p.m. and Baillue by 5 p.m. Hereabouts our 1st Devision
is camped.
Finding the 1st Battalion were at Metren we stayed overnight 
at the Officers Club and had a splendid nights rest
after a real good full course dinner and the choice of all
drinks. It was just like London in the good old days.
February 8th.    Friday.             Meteren.
Morley and I reported at the Battalion this morning and
I am now with B. Coy. and billeted at a decent place and in a
good room with a comfortable bed. So all's well! I got some
12 letters to-day and will have to get busy and answer them.
It is a pleasure to be back with the "Boys" again and I
am pleased to receive a merry greeting from all.

February 9th.    Saturday.
I took my No. 6 Platoon onto the parade ground and played
a game of rugger one platoon against the other in the afternoon.
I have a room upstairs at a shop in the Village. There
are several girls about and a number of officers gather each
night to play with them and sing song some of which are
vulgar and course. It is most certain that these officers are
hard up for amusement. It is just a sign of the times, I
suppose.

February 10th.   Sunday.
Our Bn. had a great win over the 13th Battalion to-day
by 13 to 6 after a great and scientific struggle. Rugby
Union rules were played. There is a tendency to play League
rules in the A.I.F. and many of the fellows swear by them. In
the 1st half 13th scored a try to nil. The 13th scored
 

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another try in the 2nd half; them, as time was running on and
the 1st Bn. supporters getting very anxious the backs with
Stevenson and Boardman got going and three lovely trys were
scored in quick time leaving the 1st winners by 13 to 6.
February 11th.    Monday.                      Noval football match in 
                                                                    France two men aside.
I went out for a walk to the 1st Field Ambulance to-night.
They are the other side of Bailleul 6 Kilos distant. I went
just before dinner time so that I would have to go without
and try to regain some condition for football as I can see a
trip to Paris shortly.
It was a pleasure to met the Boys of the 1st Field again.
I was told by Capt. Neve of a most remarkable game of
Rugby. One night after a hard drinking time Col. Brennan and.
Major Lee wagered 50 francs each that Capt. Bleomfield and
Capt. Neve could beat Hasty A'Becket and Major Kirkwood. It
was 1 a.m. when the match was arranged for 7 a.m. and the 1st
Field Ambulance turned up in a car at that hour. The 1st Field
were beaten.

February 12th.    Tuesday.
We drilled as usual from 9 to 12.40 with 1 hour for sports
in the afternoon, when a platoon football game was played.
At night the Officers broke out into a fancy dress night
and had a fairly wild time of it until 2 a.m. some of the
costumes got up in a hurry were very good and so very funny
there were 23 officers present about 18 in some sort of dress.
From Marcia Elvy come the finest leather pocket walet I
have seen for a long time. It is so good of her.

February 13th.    Wednesday.
The first of the Brigade Championships rugby game was
played this afternoon between the 1st and 4th Battalion. The
ground was slippery and wet. The first Bn. had it all their
own way. Thanks to excellent back play they won by 10 trys
34 points to nil, Boardman cutting through and scoring about
 

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6 trys. Our team is quite a good one right enough and should
win the Devision competition.

February 14th.    Thursday.

February 15th.     Friday.
1st Bn. beat the 3rd Bn. and are now Champions of the 1st
Brigade. The game was a great tussel and fought out with great
determination to the end when the 1st had 1 goal and a try 8
points to 1 try 3 points. Bert Boardman played a great game
again. There was a well lined ground seething with excitement
the whole time.

February 16th.    Saturday.
The 1st Bn. played the 9th on our ground this afternoon
and after a finely contested game we won by 11 - 0. There
was a large crowd present and enthusiasm was general. There
were Staff officers and others for miles around to see the
game.
The sun shone all day long but the weather was cold and
the ground frozen hard this morning. Aeroplane activity was
commenced very early, anti air craft guns and planes were
everywhere. A German plane was griven down 200 yds. from our
parade ground midst great excitement.

February 17th.     Sunday.
I motored with Toby McSwain to Bruges 28 miles away had
a look through the hugh workshop lunch rabbit chasing with
small dogs and returned to play against the 1st Field
Ambulance officers 8 aside all the officers they had. Eric
Barbour played. We play a l try draw after a very funny game.
A Bn. dinner followed and the Docs. went home in a amb. car
at 12.30 a.m. in all states.
The weather is clear and frosty as well as moonlight so
that German planes are over all night long.

February 18th.    Monday.

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We won against the Artillery by 18 or 22 points to 3 after
quite a good game this afternoon. The surface of the frozen
ground was wet and very slippery.
I played in the forwards and done quite alright. I find
it easier to play there than at full back, as there is a whole
lot of fast running from their.

February 19th.    Tuesday.
The Brigade tug-of-war is now left to the 4th and 2nd Bn.
While the boxing finals were finished after some good fighting.
These competitions are all leading up to the championship of
the Devision. The Devision are all for sport now and the men
are having a very easy time indeed. To-night we had one hours
"night operations" I took the whole of it in talking about the
stars etc. And I would like to know whether my men are thinking
 me a damn fool or otherwise at the moment.

February 20th.    Wednesday.
The frost was very heavy last night, towards the afternoon
it rained slightly so that the football ground when we lined
up to play the 1st Field Ambulance at 2.30 was in a very wet
and slippery state. During the game nobody could keep their
feet or hold the ball. It was a hard ding-dong game even if
we did score 11 points in each half and win by 22 to 0.
Carstairs at full back played a wonderful game. It was the
worst ground to stand up on that I've yet seen.

February 21st.    Thursday.
The Coy. went to Bailleul baths this morning and it was
jolly good for them. This afternoon I went for a ride with
Griff and Boardy; we had tea with the Sisters at the No. 1
C.C.S. and rode onto Marris getting back home at 6.30 and