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You are here: Home / Archives for Belgium

Friday 21 April 1916 – rain

April 21, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

A day of rest but ‘tis raining hard.

A fierce bombardment rages all night as it rains dreadfully.

Our losses at Hooge are 56 (casualties) 17 killed, 39 wounded (7 old Pats).


*Hooge, Belgium – Is the site of a Chateau that was used as Divisional Headquarters for the Allies at the beginning of WWI. The village changed hands multiple times during the war and was also the site of a huge crater from the detonation of a British mine. Craters were tactically important on flat battlegrounds as they provided cover for troops.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, Hooge

Monday 3 April 1916 – fine and hot

April 3, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Our brigade headquarters are shelled. One man killed & several wounded.
I get permission to go into Poperinghe. Make purchases & send photos to Harry. Brooches to Mrs Katie Draycot, Miss Southam, Rosary to Mrs Smith (& Crucifix), Crucifix to my aunt Louise.
English beer & stout forbidden to be sold in Belgium from tomorrow.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, Poperinghe

Wednesday 5 January 1916 – fair

January 5, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Feeling very weak but slightly better. Capt Barclay went to trenches at Ploegsteert on Saturday David Young & Walter Dunham go on 7 days leave to England. They take films for me.


*Ploegsteert – A village in Belgium where fierce fighting took place during the First World War. Winston Churchill fought as a commanding officer in this area during 1916. Today the village holds a memorial to commemorate soldiers who died in Ploegsteert but have no grave.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, Capt Barclay, England, Ploegsteert, Winston Churchill

Sunday 26 December 1915 – fine day

December 26, 2015 by Sarah McLennan

Walked into Bailleul for boot repairing and haircut, but nothing doing. They do not work on Sundays but will sell anything.
Sent ring to Miss Alwyn Browne as souvenir of Belgium (Ypres). Had eggs and very tough steak also some coffee for dinner.
Bought ring souvenir for Miss Alwyn Browne and forwarded it on to her. Also 2 for self, 3.50, 4.00 and 2.50 [£]. Got a lift to Belgium border on motor lorry and then to Locre. Kept fine in afternoon.

Filed Under: 1915, Diary Entries Tagged With: Bailleul, Belgium, Ypres

Saturday 19 June 1915 – fine

June 19, 2015 by Sarah McLennan

To Sileby and commiserated with Reverend Burrow regarding his Brother’s death in Belgium. To Leicester by train and called at Aunts’
To Mountsorrel Hills on a picnic with Mrs Knight and Kathleen and Ida Knight, Mrs and Mr Walken, Maud and Lily, May Draycot. Had lovely time and home at 8:30 pm. Took snapshots.

Crops spoiling for want of rain.

Filed Under: 1915, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, Leicester, Mountsorrel Hills, Reverend Burrow

Saturday 24 April 1915 – blowing in gale

April 24, 2015 by Sarah McLennan

Mounted Guard at 9:30. As I was the oldest soldier I was put in charge
5 prisoners
All ended well
Rained hard all night and blew a gale. What about the trench life?? Canadians at Steenstraat Belgium. Make a name and recapture 4 [4.1”] guns which were lost

Filed Under: 1915, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, Mounted Guard, Steenstraat

Tuesday 27 October 1914 – fine

October 27, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

https://greatwarchronicle.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Tuesday_October_27_1914.mp3
Charles Graham arrives from Victoria
Working on addition to the house
Germans lose 5,000 men dead: at the crossing of the Yser in Belgium
Canadian troops are not at the front yet – still at Salisbury plain, England.
To Haswell’s in evening & had walk with my cousin


* Battle of the Yser- As the Germans pushed though Belgium, Belgian and allied troops were able to hold German troops back around the Yser river, retaining a small tract of Belgian land. They halted the German advance on October 16th and in a desperate attempt to hold the Germans back Belgian troops opened the Canal locks at Nieuwpoort on October 25th. This slowly flooded the low country where German troops were fighting and forced their retreat on October 29th. The Germans then began to focus their attack on Ypres.

Filed Under: 1914, Diary Entries Tagged With: Battle of Yser, Belgium, Canadian troops, England, Germans, Haswell's, Salisbury plain, Victoria, Yser

Tuesday 15 September 1914 – cloudy

September 15, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

https://greatwarchronicle.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Tuesday_September_15_1914.mp3
Germans are committing terribly atrocities in Belgium & France.
To work at Keith Road School all day

Hugh Neill calls at night & plays cards with Charles & myself.


*The Rape of Belgium – During the occupation of Belgium German troops were accused of killing civilians en masse on multiple occasions as well as destroying large amounts of civilian property. The events were quickly used as anti-German propaganda in England and North America and referred to as the Rape of Belgium.

Filed Under: 1914, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, France, Hugh Neill, Keith Road School, mp3

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