33 years of age today. Left Derby after calling on Harry Draycot & uncle Tom Mackay at 11 AM. Arr. Stafford 12:45 PM. To doctors Miller & Allan. Had dinner with doctors & Mrs, had bath & afterwards to Mrs Smiths residence with her, stayed till 5 PM then to Stafford stn. [Cyril?], Betty & Eileen had tea at refreshment bar & boarded train for Gnosall Heath. Arr. 9 PM. Two girls conducted me to Ede’s & Cyril’s. Snow 4 inches deep.
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Wednesday 23 February 1916
Up @ 7:30 to have breakfast. To Knights at 10 am. Leave Seagrave at 12:30 noon for Rothley with Kathleen. Call on Marsdens, Inglesants & Looms. Arr. Rothley 5 PM, took train for Derby @ Sileby 5:52, arr. Derby 6:30 (change at Trent) met by Nelson MacKay. In evening to Pollard with MacKay family. Most enjoyable time.
Tuesday 22 February 1916 – snow
Snow. Visit John, Mrs. D & Almena Draycot. Leave Leicester for Sileby 7:15 PM, arr. 7:30 PM. Kathleen Knight meets me with pony trap. Go to Draycots @ 9 PM all in good health.
Monday 21 February 1916
Heavy frost
At 2:30 am dress for departure. Await transport in Locre. Leave Locre 4:40 AM, arrive Bailleul 5:15, leave 5:30 AM, arr. Boulogne 10:15 am, leave Boulogne 12:15, arr. Folkestone, 1:30 PM, depart. Folkestone 2 PM, arr. Victoria [station] 5 PM, leave St Pancras [station] 6, arr. Leicester 7:55 go to aunt Louise & stay night.
Sunday 20 February 1916
Company parade 9 am for bathing at hot baths. Get change of clothing. Hun hydro plane returning from invading England drops 6 bombs near our place. Our planes pursue but no luck. Dozens of fights take place this day. Am warned to get ready for leave to England. To pay master 5 PM and draw cheque for 18 [Pounds?] + 25 Francs.
*Hydro planes – An early form of Sea Planes, these aircraft were capable of taking off and landing on water. Both sides of the conflict used hydro planes for reconnaissance and bombing purposes. Hydro planes could also be stored on early aircraft carriers called seaplane tenders. The hydro planes were launched by lowering them onto the sea with a crane.
Saturday 19 February 1916
Drizzly rain in morning. I go sniping with Private Mackenzie & bag 4 Huns, they retaliate when they find me & give me a few close calls. Pte. Colville wounded in hand by snipers & Corp. Milne killed (shot through head). My waterproof is pierced by bullets from snipers. We put up dummie head (turnip) & Huns land shots through. We locate sniper & my hun goes with 6 inch shell. I fire elephant gun with telescopic sight. Leave trenches at 4 PM with advanced party to Locre. Griggs goes on leave.
*Elephant Gun – A large Caliber rifle originally used by big game hunters to kill elephants. During WWI both English and Germans used elephant guns to defend their trenches. The English found them very efficient as a countermeasure against German snipers who would often use large plates of steel as cover. The elephant guns were able to penetrate the steel, killing or incapacitating the sniper in hiding. Elephant guns could also be used as anti-tank weapons as they were often able to penetrate lightly armored tanks.
Friday 18 February 1916
Snipers busy & effective quite a number of Scotchmen [sic] of 42nd Highlanders are lying dead & unburied in front of our trenches just as they fell. Heavy artillery bombs all day
Thursday 17 February 1916
Gale still blowing & occasional showers. Heavy artillery action from 4-5 am. General Macdonell wounded in shoulder & arm by sniper. Private Kerry wounded in eye, Poulnett wounded (3 Coy.) Dismal wet night. Confirmation of capture of British trenches at Hooge –Rotten!!
*Sir Archibald Cameron Macdonell – A Canadian police officer and soldier, Macdonell served with the North West Mounted Police until joining the Canadian Mounted Rifles to fight in the Second Boer War. He was a decorated soldier and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a Brigadier-General during the First World War. Macdonell was sometimes called “Batty Mac” for his behaviour under fire. During the incident that Draycott refers to, where Macdonell is injured, it is said that he was shot by a sniper after venturing too far into no man’s land. Instead of retreating he stood up swearing and yelling at the sniper shaking his uninjured arm in anger. The sniper then proceeded to shoot him in this arm as well.
Wednesday 16 February 1916
Still showery & gale blowing. Lieut. Van den Burg wounded in arm by sniper in full view of us. Cpl. Griggs, Rowley, Miller, Mackenzie and I work on building a dug out. Heavy shelling & sniping all day. Our artillery send German sniper sky high with high explosive.
Tuesday 15 February 1916
Snow falls to depth of 2 inches. Heavy artillery bombardment by us (9.2 etc.) Company leaves for trenches firing line in drizzly rain. Am allotted isolated dug out in full view of Hun trenches. Have frightful cold in chest & head.
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