Diaries of William Edward Peach 1915-1918 - Part 13

117
1918
Thursday 14th February
Met Bill Waters. Marked up B.1B. for 3 Command Hardcott.
Good concert at night.
Friday 15th
Drew kit at 7 a.m. Back into khaki once again. Left
hospital in ambulance cars for Denham station at 10.30.
Left Denham at 11.20 for Hardcott (route via Paddington,
Waterloo and Salisbury). Disentrained at Fovent Station,
and taken by cars to the camp about 2 miles out. Camp
A1. Good mess, good huts, beds etc. Met Stan after tea
and went for a stroll.
Saturday 16th

Up for classification marked B1B. Stan and I out
together at night. Nice fine day, but very cold morning,
and night.
Sunday 17th
Another lovely day. Put in the afternoon writing. Had a
surprise visit from Perce Balding. Great disasters among
the aeroplanes during afternoon. Three came to grief
through engine trouble within vicinity of camp. One fell
about 200 yards away and was smashed to pieces.
Occupants had lucky escape. Stan and I went to pictures
at night.
Monday 18th
Up for reclassification again. Still the same. Met
George Saunders. Very cold afternoon.
Tuesday 19th

Took the boys out for a short march in the morning. Went
to concert at night. Stan and I out for a bit of a
stroll after concert. Lovely day.
Wednesday 20th

Out for a short march both morning and afternoon. Went
to pictures at night, machine broke down so we had our
tickets returned.

118
1918
Thursday 21st  February

Stayed at home all day. Good concert on in hall at
night. Stan and I both there. Met ? Warren.
Friday 22nd

Went out on our morning walk. Put in afternoon in usual
way, writing letters and playing cards.
Saturday 23rd
Went for a walk into Wilton after dinner. Made a general
tour of the town and then went to a restaurant for some
tea. Got a couple of eggs, a small piece of toast and a
cup of tea, and told that was all we were allowed.
Managed to get a couple more sandwiches and had to go
home contented. 
Sunday 24th

On O.P.D. church parade at Y.M.C.A. Stan and I went for
a stroll around the hills after dinner. Stan took a few
snaps with his camera. Got a letter from Mum.
Monday 25th

Up for reclassification. Went before Colonel and was
marked B1.A1.
Tuesday 26th

Transferred to No.7 Camp. Had to parade to furlough
office, dentist and orderly room to get fixed up re
furlough. Very good concert on in hall at night (the
Bonzas). Stan and I both there.
Wednesday 27th

Filled in day doing nothing or dodging work. Got a
letter from Mum and one from Harriet.
Thursday 28th
Got letters from Mum, Oll and Eva. On parade in
afternoon but found nothing to do. Went to concert in
hall at night. Good show.

119
1918
FRIDAY, 1st March
Very cold biting winds. Got letters from Oll.
Saturday 2nd
On job of conducting Sergeant to Park House. Duty pass
made out for Saturday and Sunday. Left Denton Station at
12.6 arriving at Tidworth (via Salisbury and Andover
Junction) about 1.40. Finished my job and made off for
trip to London. Reached Waterloo at 6.30 had a bit of a
fly around the City, and spent the evening at the Lyceum
Theatre (Seven days leave). Stayed at Y.M.C.A. at
Holborn over night.
Sunday 3rd
Was surprised to run across Ern Harvey at Y.M.C.A. Had
quite a long talk together. Went to church at
Westminster Abbey and then on to Headquarters at
Horseferry Road. Had dinners (2) at War Chest Club and
Y.M.C.A. Met quite a lot of old 7th Battalion boys.
Spent the afternoon having a look through National
Gallery and around the city and returned home to Wilton
by 6.35 pm. train. Got back to camp about 10.30. Rather
a dull day. Found letters awating me from Mum, Aunt
Maggie (and Estelle) and Jean.
Monday 4th
Fell in for a bit of a job. In charge of pay parades.
Got a parcel from Oll (October 12th).
Tuesday 5th
Had to parade to the pay office to draw furlough pay and
then on to furlough office to pay for railway ticket.
Went to a concert in hall at night.
Wednesday 6th
Up for reclassification. Marked B1.A2. Went for a walk
with Bill Pethard after tea.

120
1918
Thursday 7th March
Reveille at 6.30. Paraded to furlough office for pass
and sugar tickets and then marched down to Station at
Denton. Train left about 8.45 am. and we got to Waterloo
at 12.30. Picked Stan up at Andover Junction and
travelled to London together. Went to Horseferry Road
for ration money, 2.16.0 and then joined Stan again at
Piccadilly Circus. Had afternoon tea with a young lady
friend of his, and then went for a look around the city.
Saw the attractions in Trafalgar Square (Tank, Italian
Sea Plane that flew from Milan to London, and so on).
Went to Gaiety Theatre at night (The Beauty Spot). Had a
great run for our train after the show. Wanted to catch
the 11.30 pm. but was too late. The 11.45 was also full
so had to go by 12 pm. Had great difficulty getting from
Euston Tube to L. & N.S. on account of air raid.
Passages to tube packed with women and kiddies. Pulled
out of station at 12 pm. and had to wait on line for
about 3/4 hour.
Friday 8th
Searchlights and "Archies" very busy. Route of journey
via Rugby, Crewe, Stafford, Carlisle, Motherwell and
Rutherglen to Central Glasgow. Arrived at Glasgow at 2
pm. Had a clean up, some dinner and then caught our
train at Queens St Station for Lenzie. Found all at
Kenilworth quite well. Went to concert in Public Hall at
night with Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay.
Saturday 9th
Stan and I went for a stroll in morning. After dinner we
went into Glasgow and caught train from Ardrosan (via
Paisley and Salt coast) at St. Enochs Station. Went to
stay the weekend at Mrs. Bell's (Poll Webb's aunt). Had
a great time (four girls and boy at home). Mollie and
Stan, and Mina and I went to concert at Salt coast at
night. Had to line up in queue about 150 yards long to
get tickets.
Sunday 10th
Had a good lie in till 10 o'clock. Stan and Meg, Mina
and I went for walk out to viaduct before dinner. Nina,
Meg, Mollie, Mina, Stan and I went for walk out to
Stevenston, Salt coast and the harbour after dinner. Out
along by the beach again at night. A lovely fine sunny
day.

121
1918
Monday 11th March
Caught the 8.35 am. train for Glasgow. Took the train to
Bishopbriggs, bus to Kirkintilloch and walked back to
Lenzie. Mr. Lindsay and I went for walk in afternoon.
Stan had a headache so stayed at home. We all went
across to Mrs. Eadie's for tea and for the evening. Had
a real enjoyable time. The two Miss Eadies and Miss
Harley (teacher at Academy) all musical so they did the
entertaining. Stand and I managed to do the talking.
Tuesday 12th
Mr. Lindsay, Stan and I went into Glasgow in morning.
Went for a walk up to Kelvin Street Park and Lord
Robert's memorial and then caught train at Queen Street
underground for Dunoon. Went down the right side of
river as far as Craigendoran (via Singer and Dumbarton)
by train. Saw Dumbarton rock and Castle, Singer works
and so on. Caught the boat at Craigendoran (Lucez
Ashton) and set off down the Clyde and Firth of Clyde.
Touched in at Kilereggan on way. Arrived at Dunoon at
12.20. Had a walk along the promenade and then went to
McColl's Hotel for dinner. After dinner we had a look
around till 3.30. Dunoon is a very pretty little place.
The hills, Firth, Locks, etc. all looked lovely in the
sunshine. On the homeward journey we caught the boat
(Lord of the Isles) at 3.30 and sailed to Greenock.
Caught the train there and went back along the left side
of river. Passed through Port Glasgow, Kilmacolm, Bridge
of Weir etc. Could see the ship building yards along the
Clyde, Ben Lomond and Loch Lorg in distance and so on.
Got back to Lenzie at 6.15 pm. Stan and I went into
Glasgow at night. Stan had to return by 9.45 pm. train
to London.
Wednesday 13th
Had a good warm bath before dinner. Went into Glasgow in
afternoon. Had my photo taken at Warncuke Studios.
Spent the evening in at Mrs. and Mr. Henders.
Thursday 14th
Weather keeping fine, but sky cloudy all day. Went for
walk out into country in morning. Spent a few hours in
Glasgow in afternoon. Had tea and spent evening with the
Misses Roberts and Miss Stewart.

122
1918
Friday 15th March
Mr. Lindsay and I went for a stroll to the Spider Bridge
(and cemetery) in the morning. After dinner I took a run
into Glasgow. Had a look at the negatives of my photo.
Went for a run out to Kelvin Bridge in train. Had a
stroll through the park, then had a look around
University and through the National Art Galleries. Mr.
and Mrs. Lindsay and I paid a visit to Mrs. Kirk and Miss
Lindsay at night.
Saturday 16th
Caught the 10.15 am. train for Glasgow. Got 2 dozen of
my photographs - very satisfactory. Caught a train for
Balloch about 12 noon arriving Balloch shortly after one.
Had a good dinner then went for a stroll along Lock
Lomond Park, and along the shores of the Loch. Took
several snaps. Got in with a crowd of 8 young ladies
(typists from Japanese Consuls Office, Glasgow) and had a
good time. Caught train for home at 7.30. Weather nice
and fine.
Sunday 17th
Put in a quiet day. Went to church both morning and
evening Mick and I called in at Mrs. Chirrey's for a
while after Kirk.
Monday 18th
Left Lenzie by 8.55 am. train. Arrived Edinburgh 9.10
am. Chummed up with another Aussie on journey (Roy
Paine). Took a room together at Mrs. Hepburns, 11
Montgommery Street. Beautiful room, well fitted up and
spotlessly clean. Spent the morning viewing
Holyroodhouse, Arthurs Street and Edinburgh in general.
After dinner climbed to the top of both Walter Scott's
and Lord Nelson's monuments. Beautiful sight of city
obtainable from both places. Took a couple of snaps of
Princes Street etc. Visited Carlton Hill, King's Park,
and Princes Street Gardens. Having meals at Fairley's
Restaurant. Mate and I invited out to an evening at a
Tommy Sergeant's place. Had a right royal good time.
Got home about midnight.

123
1918
Tuesday 19th March
Had a look through the Castle and St. Giles Cathedral in
morning. Went along to Thompsons to see some friends to
have a shave and hair cut and so on. Rain fell during
the afternoon, so went in to see a picture show. Went to
the Theatre Royal at night to see "The Bonny Brier Bush".
A very good Scotch play.
Wednesday 20th
Had a look through National Galleries, and Scottish
museum in morning, also went for a walk round to the old
Grey Friars churchyard and George IV bridge. After
dinner went out to visit some friends at Liberton (about
2 miles out of Edinburgh). Had tea there and spent a
very enjoyable evening. Caught the 10 pm. train at
Waverley Station for London.
Thursday 21st
Travelled to London via Newcastle, and York, arriving at
Kings Cross at 7.30 am. Went for a drive around London
during morning. Starting from Horseferry Road, round by
Buckingham Palace, St. James Square, Pall Mall, Strand,
Fleet Street, Victoria Street, Tower of London (stopped
at Tower for some time and had a good look all through),
the Embankment, Whitehall, Parliament Houses and back to
starting point. After dinner my mate and I (Roy Paine)
went to matinee at His Majesty's Theatre (had a great
little joke with taxi, finding theatre). The play was
Chee Chin Chow. The scenery was lovely and the acting
good (Oscar Asley and Lily Brayton were among the
performers). Had to leave to catch my train before show
finished. Tried to get a taxi to drive me to War Chest
Club for my case, but had no luck. Got one at Horseferry
Road, but just missed my train at Waterloo by 3 minutes.
Caught 8.15 pm. train from Salisbury and motored out to
camp from there. Got home about 12.15 pm.
Friday 22nd
Up for reclassification in morning and was marked B1.A3.
Went out for a bit of a stroll (dodging drill) after
dinner. Had a look in at Headquarters to see Stan at
night.

124
1918
Saturday 23rd March
Transferred to number 8 camp. Spent morning writing
letters. Mounted guard at 4 pm. Perfect day. Just like
Spring. Clocks put on a hour at 12 midnight. Stayed up
till 3 am. writing.
Sunday 24th
On guard till 4 pm. another lovely day. Got 19 letters
as follows: Mum 3, Oll 4, Jean 3, Lil 1, Sylvia Cook 1,
Aunt Kate 1, Uncle Jack 1, Eva 1, Vernie 1, Mabel Nance
1, and Mr. Leslie Benzie of Sandy Creek.
Monday 25th
on guard again for couple of hours after dinner. Went to
1st house Albany Ward concert and to camp concert
afterwards.
Tuesday 26th
Had three teeth filled by dentist. Up for
classification. Marked A3. Bill Pethard and I went for
stroll after tea.
Wednesday 27th
Had a day off. George, Bill and I out together at night.
George's last night so we had a blow out at canteen. Got
a letter from Grace, parcels from Oll and Lil.
Thursday 28th
On job conducting Sergeant to O.T.B. Warminster. Took a
draft of 62. George Saunders and Perce Balding included.
Marched from camp to Wilton and got soaking with rain.
Returned to Salisbury by 5.30 pm. train and stayed night
at three Swans Hotel. Went to Theatre at night.
Friday 29th
Spent day in Salisbury. Went to church at Cathedral at
11 am. Spent afternoon and evening at Hotel. People
very nice. Caught 9.45 pm. train to Wilton and got car
to camp.

125
1918
Saturday 30th March
Raining hard all day. Witness to case at Orderly rooms
in morning. Mounted No. 3 Guard at 4 pm. Spent night
writing.
Sunday 31st
On guard till 4 pm. Had some pretty bad characters to
look after but everything went off O.K.
Monday, 1st April
Had the morning to myself. Up for final dental and
medical inspection after dinner but with Stan for a while
at night. Got a letter from Mina.
Tuesday 2nd
On draft to O.T.B. Left camp at 10.30 am. from Wilton.
Caught 12.30 train arriving Warminster at 1.35 pm. Had
about 3 miles to march to camp. Went to picture show in
camp at night. Wet day.
Wednesday 3rd
Filled in morning with another dental and medical
inspection. Got issued with shortages, equipment, rifle,
etc. at 2 o'clock and had to be ready to mount guard at
3.30 pm. Had a pretty bad lot of prisoners to look after
including 9 in cells, 1 in irons and in cells.
Thursday 4th
On guard till 4 pm. Turned in to bed early at night.
Wet miserable day.
Friday 5th
Out on miniature rifle range. Grouping practice with
Lewis Gun, and instruction in assembling Lewis gun.
Shooting on 500 yards range with rifles in afternoon.
Saturday 6th
Too wet for parade. Filled in morning at physical jerks
in shed. Had afternoon off.

126
1918
Sunday 7th April
Attended church parade O.P.D. in morning. Spent rest of
day writing letters.
Monday 8th
Did a bit of a stunt with live ammunition. Just about
knocked me out. short of wind.. Went to concert in camp

theatre at night.
Tuesday 9th
Back on to the old game of B.F. and P.S. Got a small
parcel from Oll. General mess meeting at night. I was
elected on Committee.
Wednesday 10th
Brigade route march out through Sutton Veny. On range
firing with Lewis Gun. Sergeant Robinson (of Wangaratta)
and I went for walk into Warminster at night.
Thursday 11th
Rotten weather rain and mist. Out on range doing a bit
of shooting with our rifles before dinner. On range
again with Lewis gun in afternoon. Perce Balding, Claude
Payne and I had a night out together. Went to camp
cinema. Got a fine parcel from Mum.
Friday 12th
Detailed off for job of semi permanent guard with No. 3
Battalion. Not at all pleased with myself. Work not too
bad 24 hours on and 48 off. Went to conert hall at night
but party did not arrive. Got a note from Stan. Messing
at No. 12 mess. Tucker first class.
Saturday 13th
Nice fine day. Had day off. Claude and I went for
stroll to Sutton Veny at night. Had a look in at Empire
concert hall.