On the march again next morning at 8 am full marching order. Tired, sore feet and little mist descending. We leave the rest of the Brigade and Division behind.
Fairly hilly and muddy country but more like the prairie of Canada.
Passed thro’ Dury, Saleux, Pont de Metz and arrive at Ferrieres at noon. In all we have marched about 35 miles in three days.
We are assigned to the usual poor billets. A stable with a very leaky roof and the sides knocked out in places. Many men fall out on the march through sore feet and faintness. A run is made on the Estaminet for beer and spirits but there are no drunks recorded. Have a meal of bread, cheese and jam and hot tea. At 6:30 pm we get hot soupy concoction. More rain!
There are two representative noble families here with their Chateaux Vicomtesse d’Ivory and Vicomtesse de Dresdin.
Sunday 24 October 1915
We rise at 5:30 am. Blankets rolled in bundle of ten. We parade at 7:30 am in full marching orders for an unknown destination.
We stand in full marching order for ¾ hour before moving off. We pass thro’ some lovely country and lots of private reserves. We go through Warfuss-Abancourt on main road, very straight. Villers-Bretonneux, Blangy, Amiens, thro’ Cagny to Boves where 3 kilometers outside we encamped in tents we pitched ourselves. About 7 pm it rained hard. Boves is quite a town. There are ruins of an old castle on a high hill probably Norman.
Saturday 23 October 1915
A few parades.
Company Sergeant Major Pattison is under close arrest for drunkenness.
I receive letter and parcels thro’ mail.
*Close Arrest – Confinement to one’s room or to barracks
Friday 22 October 1915
Passed another restless night, lots of rats. Air full of rumours as to our port of Embarkation?
Thursday 21 October 1915
The Battalion has no further orders and still “Stand to Arms”. Lots of rumours going about the Shropshire Light Infantry.
Have gone post Haste to Cappy what for?
The 3rd Kings Royal Rifles have entrained. Where to? We have orders to move – where to? All is bustle, troops are moving both ways.
*King’s Shropshire Light Infantry – A regiment of the British Army that had first formed in 1881 but was expanded greatly to 12 battalions during the First World War. The regiment fought extensively and was awarded 60 battle honours over the course of WWI.
Wednesday 20 October 1915
The Company go about 8 miles out for digging trenches at 11 am, back at 5 pm on an order from the Colonel by dispatch rider. The Battalion has special order to hold in readiness for instant move.
Tuesday 19 October 1915
Appointed Regimental Barber together with Private Williams.
Weather very cold.
Heavy bombardment in Arras region. Private Wallach pays a visit to Estaminets for coffee. We are not able to do any washing so in consequence are lousy.
*Arras – A city in northern France very close to the front lines for most of the war. There was a series of battles fought over Arras during the war which saw the city change hands. The New Zealand Tunneling company helped use a series of medieval tunnels beneath the city to defend it from the Germans. The city was damaged so severely during the war that three quarters of it had to be rebuilt.
Monday 18 October 1915
Still busy cutting hair for the Company and appear respectable in parade.
Have 15 letters awaiting an answer and endeavor to write some at night in a cold, wet, draughty barn.
Sunday 17 October 1915
Awakened at 8 am still feeling tired. Am cutting hair all day. Partook of a bottle of Champagne, good for my cold.
Evening Service (Methodist) by Private Lightbody of Princess Pats. Many attend, sing hymns.
Major Hamilton Gault, Captain MacDonald, Lieutenant Molson, Lieutenant MacKenzie, Lieutenant Curry arrive last night to join us.
Saturday 16 October 1915
Am busy cutting hair all day.
We get orders to leave this district for Maricourt, 10 miles away.
On the march at 8 pm and after a half of 1 hour to pick up the other companies in a field we resume the march. The Cambridge Regiment take over our Billets at Eclusier. Am feeling weak from effects of a cold. Pass thro’ Cappy and after a tiring march reach Maricourt at midnight. Here we find more Regiments and Headquarter of the 27th Division.
As usual our Billet consists of very old barn and very crowded.
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