Diaries of William Edward Peach 1915-1918 - Part 3

17
1916
Wednesday 5th April
Light rain. Country very pretty. Most of land, hills
included under cultivation. Saw women working and
ploughing in fields. Passed through numerous tunnels.
Slept part of time on seat and part on floor. Extra cold
night. Got out for an hour at Macon and went for stroll
down street.
Thursday 6th
Very cold morning. Passed through woody country. Saw
three pheasants. Second train which left 5 hours after
us caught us at Criel. Had a bit of fun here with French
soldiers. Common sight see women doing manual labour.
Arrived at destination (Etaples) at 3.45 p.m. Marched to
camp about one mile from station. Mostly English Tommies
in camp. Met Sgt. Bromelow.
Friday 7th
Very cold, slight rain. Company reorganised again, back
to old battalion. Met Bob Fouracre. First visit to
Y.M.C.A. in France, terrible crowd. Went to hear Tommie
concert at night. Now on war rations, bully beef and
biscuits. Broke tooth off plate.
Saturday 8th
Nice day. Inspection of Australian Troops by Camp
Commandant (English Colonel). Spoke well of troops.
Went for short route march. Medical inspection. Broke
another tooth off plate. Stayed in at night and played
500.
Sunday 9th
Heavy front. Slept in till about 7.30 a.m. Our tent
isolated, one of boys got mumps. Band recital in
afternoon. Platoon had to get ready to move off to
isolation. When reported to H.Q. found things mulled up
so had to return again for night. Issued with third
blanket. 1/2 inched tin of jam and 1/2 loaf bread and 3
of us had supper before turning in. Got an issue of
clothing about 9 p.m. in expectation of move in morning. 

18
1916
Monday 10th April
Our platoon packed up ready to move to isolation at 8 a.m.
Tents pulled down also. Had to hang about and wait
all morning. Spent time playing duck jumping and so
forth. Lovely day. Ordered to put up our tents again
after dinner as not going. Fresh orders after tea, pack
up and get. Marched to isolation camp, put tents up and
turned in for night.
Tuesday 11th
Nothing to do as regards work. Inspected by Doctor.
Made some Oxo for dinner. Found Tommies rather decent
chaps. Learnt to play bridge.
Wednesday 12th
Dull day. Company left for another camp. On starvation
rations. Shook bag coal land made good camp fire at
night. Bought loaf bread and had supper. Spent day at
cards.
Thursday 13th
Marched down to company to draw meat for isolation camp.
Fried some chops and steak for dinner. Made stew for tea
but got orders to pack up and move off about 3 p.m. so
had to eat before quite cooked. Went well. Marched to
Bull ring with full packs up. Passed soldiers cemetry.
Saw burial service conducted. Made steak and kidney stew
for tea.
Friday 14th
First time on fatigue. Our section split up and put into
different tents. Twelve in each tent. Nice and I
cleared off into Etaples. Bought souveniers. Slept in
spare tent. Nice's birthday.
Saturday 15th
Slept in. Took morning off. Went into Etaples at night.
Sent cable to Lil. Saw "Eagle Spread". Horrible sight
to see men tied up to barb wires. Got letter from Perce.
Slept in big tent.

19
1916
Sunday 16th April
Out at "Bull ring" undergoing tests. Hard morning's work
under Tommy sgts. Not much like Sunday to us. Marsh,
Nicey and I went for walk out along beach in afternoon.
Slept in a bit tent again.
Monday 17th
Dull day, wet at night. Went for a stroll down to
Etaples. Was paid 15 francs. First pay for about a
month. Slept on tables in sgts. mess.
Tuesday 18th
On Quarter Guard for first time. I was on post at Cook
House. Was well fed up. Wet night. Tide very high.
Wednesday 19th
Off work all day, spent night in sgts mess again. Wrote
letters in afternoon. Tide very high.
Thursday 20th
Heavy morning's work on Bull Ring. Put through tests.
Vault, long and high jump, climbing fence, getting over
high fence with assistance. Cold and wet day. Spent
night playing draughts at Y.M.C.A.
Friday 21st
Good Friday. Lovely day and very wet night. Church
Parade in morning. Had a good lunch at Y.M.C.A. Went
for stroll down to beach. Posted registered packet to
Lil. Went into Etaples at night.
Saturday 22nd
Very wet day. No drill. Issued with tobacco. Spent day
at Y.M.C.A. playing games.
Sunday 23rd
Easter Sunday. A lovely day, best we have had.
Presbyterian Church Parade in morning, good little
service by a "Scotty". Lying about in sun all afternoon.
Went into creek for a drip. Just A1. Wrote 5 letters. 

20
1916
Monday 24th April
Out at Bull Ring. Practiced trench tactics and throwing
dummy and live bombs, very interesting. Marsh taken to
hospital with mumps. Handed in our old rifles.
Tuesday 25th
First anniversary of landing at Gallipoli by Australians.
Celebrated occasion by holding of church parade and
address followed by march past. About 4000 of the boys
took part. Nurses from Australia, England, Canada, New
Zealand present also a number of hospital patients in
their blue hospital dress. Very pretty sight and
stirring ceremony. In afternoon told by Lieut. to go and
hide ourselves in the scrub. Lovely day. Perce arrived
back from Hospital. Roamed down along beach and had a
good chat together. About midnight Zep passed over camp
and dropped about 4 or 5 bombs. One fell about 100 yds
from camp.
Wednesday 26th
All our tent sent to isolation on account of mumps. Had
nothing to do all day. In evening Perce and I went for a
stroll. Saw hole made in ground by bomb. Train of
French soldiers pulled up near camp. All our fellows out
giving them food and fruit. Give them a good cheer.
Perce and I out for a stroll at night.

Thursday 27th
Nice and I went across to river in morning for a swim.
Found it went A1. No drill. Perce and I went for stroll
down to beach at night. Letter from Oll.
Friday 28th
Washing parade down to stream laundry in morning. Issued
with shortages of clothing. Over for swim in afternoon.
Perce and I out under pines at night.
Saturday 29th
Solid morning's drill at Bull ring. Counted out Tommy
R.S.M. Swimming after dinner. out for usual stroll at
night. 

21
1916
Sunday 30th April
Duty Company. Off all day. Went for stroll around to
ruined castle on beach. Climbed old stairs about 7
storey high. Had dip in briny. Mail closed.
Monday 1st May
Went for 10 or 12 mile route march to Paris Plage. Very
pretty place. Enjoyed march. Saw wreck of the Secootia
just bear Promenade. Had swim after dinner.
Tuesday 2nd
Nothing doing. Nice day. Went in for swim after dinner.
Went over to river and had good swim.
Wednesday 3rd
Lil's birthday. Wrote her a letter. On Q.M.S. fatigue.
Went for ride on wagon to Ordinance Store. Missed our
swim.
Thursday 4th
Went for short march along beach and sat down for hour or
so. Went for swim in afternoon. Had to run from tide.
Friday 5th
Warm day. In swimming morning and afternoon. Managed to
coax Dick Lee in for wash. Tide well up. Caught couple
of fish (soles) in nets and cooked same for tea. Issued
with gas helmets and rifles.
Saturday 6th
No drill. Wrote a few letters. Company out on Bull
Ring.
Sunday 7th
No parades at all. Wrote letters. Heavy storm at night. 

22
1916
Monday 8th May
Went for route march along beach to ruined castle, then
around through village of Camiers (8 or 9 miles). Feet
very sore owing to pair new issued sox and new boots.
Wet day. Mail closed for Aust. Paid 20 francs. Five of
the boys went in to the village and got right. One very
drunk. Great fun in tent when they arrived home. Nig
lot of others merry also.
Tuesday 9th
Wet day. Corp. of Wet canteen fatigue. Could have had
enough beer to be drunk 1/2 doz. times over. Nearly all
in tent had another blow out and came home very merry.
Vera's birthday. Wet day.
Wednesday 10th
Off all day. Perce and I went into Etaples at night.
Tent mates still on the drink and came home merry.
Thursday 11th
No drill. Fine day. Wrote a few letters.
Friday 12th
Wet day,. Went for short route march down Bologne Rd.
Sig. Syd Hart had head split open through accident when
practicing bomb-throwing. Went down to Y.M.C.A. (Walton
Hotel) to hear concert.
Saturday 13th
Dull day. No drill.'
Sunday 14th
Dull day. Wrote letters all afternoon. Service by
Lieut. Lucas in Y.M.C.A. at night.
Monday 15th
Supposed to go on range but parade cancelled owing to
weather. Received letter Feb. 8th from Aunt Nell. 

23
1916
Tuesday 16th May
Went for route march in morning. Over for swim in river
in afternoon.
Wednesday 17th
First draft of company sent up the line. Spent morning
at rifle range. Well satisfied with my rifle. Usual
swim in afternoon.
Thursday 18th
Lieut. took over charge of I.C. Went for a bit of a march
in the morning. Sgt. let us all go in beach for swim
over in river after dinner.
Friday 19th
This day brings back sweet memories of 12 months ago.
Discharged from I.C. Taken down to Etaples for Turkish
bath and to fumigate clothing. Great rejoicing at night.
Big mail for us. I got letters from Lil, Jean, Ill,
Vera, Stan, Aunt Maggie, Ida Cookson, Daisy, Fred, Herb
and a parcel from Miss Cookson.
Saturday 20th
Parade at Bull Ring. Bayonet fighting with pads etc. and
relieving trenches. Over at river in afternoon. Next
lot of reinforcements arrived here.
Sunday 21st
On duty as Cpl. Pioneer Fatigue. Fine day. Grace's
birthday.
Monday 22nd
Went for an 8 mile route march. Had about 3/4 hr spell
on river bank. Scenery very pretty. Everything nice and
green.
Tuesday 23rd
Went down to Etaples for a steam bath. Mounted guard at
6 p.m. I was Cpl. guard. We were complimented on good
turn out etc. Very cold night. 

24
1916
Wednesday 24th May
Up at 2 a.m. Had job waking up officers' batmen etc.
Draft left here to go up the line about 4.30 p.m. Rather
sleepy. On guard till 6 p.m. Empire Day.
Thursday 25th
Out at Bull Ring in morning. Practiced relieving
trenches.
Friday 26th
Went for a route march round Camiers and old castle. Saw
four airships and dirigible. Nice day. Got letter from
home.
Saturday 27th
On duty as Battalian Ord. Cpl. Had easy day of it. Saw
3 airships, 1 seaplane and a dirigible at one time. Met
Joe Ryan and N. Newton.
Sunday 28th
Big church parade in morning. Parson queer old stick.
Mail closed at 5 p.m. Claude Payne over from other camp
to see us. Hector Ward over later at night but we were
out.
Monday 29th
Bull Ring relief trench in morning. Same again at night.
Les Patience put into our tent, just landed back from
England.
Tuesday 30th
Nothing doing in the morning. Mounted guard in the
evening.
Wednesday 31st
On guard all day. Felt very tired at night. Got a big
mail from Australia. I got 21 letters. Home 3, Lil 2,
Oll, Les, Fred, Lyall, Ian Cookson, Uncle Jack, Stan,
Milie, Sylvia, Daisy, Gladys, Mabel, Vera, Aunt Nell. 

25
1916
Thursday 1st June
Had to go down to Etaples camp to fumigate blankets and
to have steam bath on account of Les Patience being taken
off to hospital with scabies. Concert (first one held
here) in Y.M.C.A. at night.
Friday 2nd
On cooks fatigue in morning. Writing in afternoon.
Saturday 3rd
Doing pick and shovel work at Bull Ring.
Sunday 4th
Church parade. An hour's drill getting ready for guard
in afternoon. Mounted same at 6 p.m. Dull day and very
wet night. Got fairly wet.
Monday 5th
Very windy. Sand blowing a treat. Guard not relieved
till 7.30 p.m. All very dirty.
Tuesday 6th
Nothing doing all day. Wrote letters.
Wednesday 7th
Went for short route march across over bridge. Had a
sleep all afternoon.
Thursday 8th
On depot Q.M.S. fatigue. Spent morning down loading
wagons etc. Had a good look through the bakehouse. Very
interesting night. Went to bed very early at night.
Friday 9th
Thirty volunteers picked out to form part of new
battalion to be ready to go up the line. Packed up and
shifted into big tents over near details. 

26
1916
Saturday 10th June
 Shifted tent again. Rumours about that we are to be
formed into Pioneer Battalion. Dull day.
Sunday 11th
Writing letters. Mail closed for Australia. No church
parade for us. Wet day and cold. Went to church at
Y.M.C.A. at night. Good service.
Monday 12th
Wet and cold. Perce and I dug out a rabbit. Out at Bull
ring in afternoon. Easy time. About 20 of the boys
lined up and one of the privates marched them home.
Tuesday 13th
Wet cold day. Made a nice dixy of curry for tea with our
rabbit. Medically examined. List of shortages taken.
Wednesday 14th
Went for good route march around through Etaples and
camp. Dull day. Had steam bath after dinner. Clocks
all put on one hour to save daylight.
Thursday 15th
Messing about all the morning with inspection etc. Dull
day. Had steam bath after dinner. Another draft our
company warned to be ready at 2.40 a.m.
Friday 16th
Did a bit of squad drill out on beach in morning. Got
ready for inspection in afternoon but as usual it was put
off. Office told us a bit about our new job. We are
known as 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion.
Saturday 17th
Went for route march to Camiers. Had shortages issued.
Good humorous lecture. sketch drawing etc. by Miss Amy
Ward, in Y.M.C.A. Big crowd present.