Diaries of William Edward Peach 1915-1918 - Part 5

37
1916
Sunday 20th August
Still shelling heavily. Got letters from Lil and Oll
also paper. Still wet and dull. Big aerial raids.
Between 40 and 50 planes up. Spent night in supports
again with only 4 stretcher bearers. Trench blown to
bits on both sides of it but our bay left O.K.
Monday 21st
Moved up to firing line. Fritz's line only 75 yards
away. Talking to Pte. Dobson who was with Perce when
killed. Told me all about it. Said death instantaneous.
Relieved by 19th Battalion about 10 p.m. Moved straight
back to Albert.
Tuesday 22nd
Daisy's birthday. Up early and started on march to
Warloy about 8 a.m. Felt rather tired at end of journey.
Got nice parcel from Oll. Very much appreciated by self
and boys.
Wednesday 23rd
Had a march of about 9 miles from Warloy to Rubempre,
passing through Vadencourt, Contay and Herrisart. Saw
Fred Waldon at Contay.
Thursday 24th
Marched about 10 miles to Amptier, passing through
Marieux, Sarton and Urville, 3 very pretty little towns.
Had our packs carried by transport for first time. Had
blanket issued and spent good night. Nice little camp.
Friday 25th
Got letters from Mum, Oll and Daisy. Showery day. Got
few things out of Perce's pack and made up parcel for
Lil.

38
1916
Saturday 26th August
Reveille at 4 a.m. Made an early start and marched to
station near Doullens (about 2 miles). Entrained in
horse trucks and travelled to Gode Waersvelde. Got out
and marched to Reninhelst about 8 miles. All very tired.
Was feeling a bit off after rough train journey. Country
looking great. Hop fields all around us. Towns through
which we passed nice and clean. Now in Belgium.
Sunday 27th
Showery. Had church parade in morning. Wrote letters in
Y.M.C.A. in afternoon. Attended church service and sing
song (conducted by Canadians) in Y.M.C.A. at night.
Sunday 28th
Usual smartening up drill all day. Weather dull. Got
letters from Uncle Harold, Aunt Nell, Oll, Sylvia, Lois,
Glad, Vera Robb, Ida Cookson. Paper from Aunt Nell.
Tuesday 29th
Bayonet fighting etc. in morning. Marched to Poperinghe
about 4 miles in afternoon. Heavy rain set in just as we
got settled down. Billeted in old brewery. Went to
picture show in evening. Good band for orchestra.
Wednesday 30th
Raining heavy all day. Had a good look all round town.
Fine big place. Not extra much damaged. Got good feed
of eggs and chips. Got some lovely grapes 2-1/2 fr. per
lb.). Left Poperinghe at night. Travelled about 11
miles by train. Filed into trenches near Ypres through
mud and water. Someone falling every few yards. Had to
march about 6 miles. Took over from Tommies. Carrying
water through night. Machine guns playing on us.
Thursday 31st
Weather fined up a bit. Resting in dug-out most of day.
Carrying rations at night.

39
1916
Friday 1st September
Dad's birthday. Wrote a few letters. Bit of bombardment
in afternoon. Received couple local rags from Auntie
Maggie. Down for rations.
Saturday 2nd
Got letters from Mum, Oll, Ray and Mollie. Papers from
Uncle Jack and Ida Cookson. Nice day. With ration party
at night.
Sunday 3rd
Writing most of day. Had a bit of a sing-song in dug-out
before going for rations. Gas alert at night. Gongs,
bells, etc. sounding all around us.
Monday 4th
Very wet day. Night extra dark. Had great difficulty
getting rations up. Sliding all over the place.
Bombardment fairly heavy.
Tuesday 5th
Got letter from Frank, Leader from Grandpa. Showery day.
Mine on right exploded. Shook ground a treat. Bad night
for ration party.
Wednesday 6th
Fine day. Chaps in front line relieved. I was supposed
to go up, but luck in and not required.
Thursday 7th
Ration dump shifted. Finished at 2 a.m. About 3 a.m.
got orders to get into full marching order. Left at 5
a.m. en route for Gas School at       . Passed through
Ypres and      on way. Surprised at state Ypres is in.
Hardly a wall standing. Not a civilian in sight.
Entrance to town guarded by old moat etc. Journey about
12 miles. Attended gas lectures. Went through tear gas
and chlorine gas. Got letters from Mum and Jean. Very
tired at night.

40
1916
Friday 8th September
Lectures in morning. Great dinner on issue. Roast
mutton, cabbage, spuds and pickles. Put in an hour hop
picking with Belgian folk. Through tests with new
helmets on into Poperinghe at night. Sent booklet Ypres
cards home. Went to picture show and concert. Letters
from Ida, Daisy, Mollie.
Saturday 9th
Set out for home. Stopped for a time at Ypres. Saw all
the old ruins, old entrance and moat. Bell out of church
(Bell 1-1/2 tons, silver and bronze, 1683). Gave a hand
with rations at night. Fried chops and spuds for
breakfast.
Sunday 10th
Quiet day. Posted 15 letters. Got mail from Lil, Oll
and Fred. With ration party. Great fun riding down to
dump on trucks.
Monday 11th
Shell through roof of cooks dug-out. Fixing up Vermoral
sprayers. Same job at night.
Tuesday 12th
Dull day. Relieved at night by 6th. Arrangements as
usual all messed up.
Wednesday 13th
Good sleep in in morning. Camped about 2 miles from
line. On fatigue with Canadian Tunnelling Company at
night. Great fun with trucks. Five loaded with bags of
mud bolted down hill and jumped rails. Ran into truck
coming upline.
Thursday 14th
Wet day. Letters from Oll and Aunt Nell. Working with
trucks again. Running them all express.

41
1916
Friday 15th September
Showery. Letters from Lil, Daisy, Mollie and Miss Kemp.
Slept in all day. Out at night.
Saturday 16th
Showery day. Same job at night.
Sunday 17th
Went into Ypres. Had a good look through churches, etc.
Fine day. Fatigue at night.
Monday 18th
Wet day. Trucks very slippery at night. Letter from
Vera.
Tuesday 19th
Stayed in bed all day. Wrote few letters. Had few
games cards etc. In charge of gas guard.
Wednesday 20th
In charge aeroplane and gas guards. Wet day.
Thursday 21st
Same duties. Wet day. Managed to do a bit of washing.
Friday 22nd
Clearing up a bit. Letter from Lena. Same duties.
Saturday 23rd
Lovely day. Big mail for me. Letters from Mum, Grace,
Daisy, Oll, Ruby, Mollie, Charlotte and Lil Smith. Wrote
a good few letters. All N.C.O.'s out at night on fatigue.
I, still on same game. Had good roll call at night (46).

42
Sunday 24th September
Nice day. Reveile roll call (33). Letters from Bess,
Lyall, Stan and Mum. Had a bit of music on mouth organ,
and sing-song. Doing a bit of rat hunting in evening.
Monday 25th
Woke up with stiff leg. Got it painted in morning.
Taken to hospital in ambulance at night. (No. 3 Casualty
Clearing Station) at Poperinghe with synovitis knee.
Tuesday 26th
Left Poperinghe at 2.45 p.m. in hospital train. Got to
Boulogne (via Hazebruck and St. Omer) at 9 p.m. Taken in
Char-a-Banc to No. 3 Canadian General Hospital. In with
Canadians, Tommies, and Australians. Good treatment.
Sisters very good. Temperature 99. Pulse 88.
Wednesday 27th
Poking about all day. Tucker good, good bed to lie on.
Thursday 28th
Showery. Feeling A1 after rest. Out playing bowls etc.
Friday 29th
Poking about as usual. A few more left for Blighty.
Saturday 30th
Showery day. Nothing doing.
Sunday 1st October
Church in morning and evening in Y.M.C.A. Some of the
sisters present. Ward filled up at night.
Monday 2nd
Showery. Nothing special doing.         

43
1916
Tuesday 3rd October
Got gramophone going in ward. Marked up BD. TB.
Wednesday 4th
Back into khaki. Shifted to B.D. Had a look at Boulogne
at night. Went to picture theatre with couple Canadians.
Had good 6 course feed for supper.
Thursday 5th
Went before Board. Down street again at night. Bought
souveniers of Ypres and Pozieres.
Friday 6th
Spent most of day at Y.M.C.A. Did not go out at night.
Saturday 7th
Left for Etaples at 10.45 a.m. Arrived at about 12.30.
Put in convalescent camp. Met several old pals.
Sunday 8th
Out with Lofty and "Scotty" all afternoon, Had tea
together and went to church at night.
Monday 9th
Met Joe Walton, Jack Smith and Casey, just over from
Blighty. Concert at night.
Tuesday 10th
Out with Dave and Scotty. Went to concert at Concamp
together. Very good.
Wednesday 11th
Poking about all day. Went to good concert in Y.M.C.A.
at night. "Charlie at the Piano".

44
1916
Thursday 12th October
On sick parade in morning. Ordered off to hospital.
Left in ambulance at 1.30 p.m. for No. 26 General. Put
in tent 40. Had good night's rest.
Friday 13th
Examined by Dr. Marked for Blighty. Up to see Dave in
afternoon.
Saturday 14th
Up at 2 a.m. Left Etaples in hospital train at 5.30.
Arrived Calais 8.30. Left in Hospital ship "Brighton" at
11.30, arrived Dover 1.30. Left in Hospital train again
at 3.45 arrived Norwich, via Liverpool Street about 10.30
p.m. Sea very rough coming across. Felt bit seasick.
Search lights around London looked very pretty. Got
hearty reception from Norwich folk, admitted to Ward P
Norfolk War Hospital Thorpe, Norwich.
Sunday 15th
Found surroundings very comfortable. Sisters and other
patients all very nice. Food good. Six other
Australians in same  ward. Had knee strapped up.
Monday 16th
Feeling a bit off colour. Had dose of Castor oil. First
ever tasted. Still in bed. Had visit from Australian
Red Cross representative.
17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st  & 22nd
Nothing special happened. Still in bed. Reading and
writing most of time. Knee feeling rather painful.
Monday 23rd
Concert in ward at night, very good.

45
1916
24th, 25th & 26th October
Weather getting cold and wet. Reading, writing or
playing cards, all day long. Things still as rowdy as
ever in ward.
Friday 27th
Whist drive in ward in evening. Keen competition for
prize. Lot of the nurses present.
28th, 29th & 30th
Weather still wet. Got a letter from Lofty.
Tuesday 31st
Extra heavy rain in early morning. Nice fine day.
1st November - 18th November
In bed Norfolk War Hospital.
12th November
Had Fred's two sisters up to visit me. Very rough and
stormy afternoon.
14th November
Had Scott's dressings taken off knee and put on massage
treatment.
18th November
Snow fell during afternoon but not heavy enough to
settle.
19th November
Doctor allowed me to get up in invalid chair.

46
1916
22nd November
Had chair in 'A' ward and two mates and I went into
Norwich for afternoon. Called to see Fred's people but
only his mother and sister at home.
23rd November
Wheeled down to main hall to see concert. All
wheelchairs lined up in front. Good concert.
24th November
Down to see pictures in main hall. Pictures all on back
to front so left about half time.
25th November
Drew kit at 2 p.m. Went to Whist drive in 'K' ward at
night. Got letters from Vera (2), Mum (2), Aunt Maggie
(2), Mollie, Aunt Nell, Ray, Eva, Daisy, Oll, Vera Robb,
Rev. Walklate and Lil.
26th November
Cleared out after dinner. Went out on river in afternoon
in motor boat (with Wilkie and Bastick). Went into
Norwich in evening. Did not get home till 10.45 p.m
Was reported but didn't get into trouble.
27th November
Left hospital in ambulance at 7.30 a.m. for Norwich
station. Left in train at 8.50 for Harefield. Travelled
via Ipswich, Liverpool Street, Baker Street, and
Marylebourne. Landed at Harefield (Aust. Aux. Hospital
No. 1) at midday. Put in Ward 39. Went to see pictures
of Somme in evening.
28th November
Put on hot air and massage treatment. Concert by
Australian folk in afternoon. Very good.