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You are here: Home / Archives for Blaringhem

Tuesday 5 January 1915 – Rain

January 5, 2015 by jbushey

https://greatwarchronicle.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Tuesday_January_5_1915.mp3
We move off from Blaringhem for somewhere. Troops very tired. Bad feet and bad boots.
Roads very bad for marching – cobble stones. Heavy marching order with skin fur coats. Oh what a load 55 to 60 pounds – many fall out. We camp at Meteren in a barn, no change of underwear until leaving Winchester. Getting bully beef and biscuits. Water bad. Again no sleep.


*Bully Beef – Corned Beef

Filed Under: 1915, Diary Entries Tagged With: Blaringhem, Meteren, mp3, Winchester

Friday 1 January 1915 – Rain

January 1, 2015 by jbushey

https://greatwarchronicle.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Friday_January_1_1915.mp3
We receive orders to Parade outside the village of Blaringhem (Nord Department) at 12:35 pm for inspection by General Sir John French. We line up at our “hovel” at 12:35 pm (noon) and march 5 miles in full marching order to the parade ground (a sloppy field). We stand here for over an hour in the cold wind and rain when finally General French appears with his staff, arriving in Landau (automobile). He inspects our Brigade consisting of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, 4th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles, Shropshire Light Infantry and Rifle Brigade. Before dismissing us he (General French) says a few words to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry “Proud to have us in his command”. Knew we would acquit ourselves” etc; Arrived back at the “Hovel” at 5:30 pm in a drenching downpour. I am for guard duty again (twice in a week) and mount at 6 pm. My turns are from 8 to 10 pm and 2 till 4 am and 8 – 10 am and 2 to 4 pm. A wet cold miserable night with a high wind. I guard the Ammunition and horses of which (the latter) there are about 30 or 40. I find time passes quickly when looking after the poor beasts and adjusting their blankets. I am like the horses – without shelter. There was no bombardment last night.


*John French – A veteran officer from the Boer War, he was given Command of the British Expeditionary Force during the opening months of WWI. He clashed with those around him, first disagreeing with Lord Kitchener on a location for the deployment of British troops. With few successes in the early part of the war French’s leadership was criticized and he was relieved from the position in December of 1915.

Filed Under: 1915, Diary Entries Tagged With: 4th Battalion, Blaringhem, General Sir John French, Kings Royal Rifles, mp3, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Rifle Brigade, Shropshire Light Infantry

Friday Xmas Day 25 December 1914

December 25, 2014 by jbushey

https://greatwarchronicle.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Friday_December_25_1914.mp3
Bombardment ceased. English have taken Lille. Inch of ice on pond on farm yard. Our Christmas breakfast consists of Bully Beef & biscuits & tea.
I received greeting from King George & Queen Mary with photos (of them both).
In afternoon at 2 pm I go to the 4th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle camp. I have the privilege of being introduced to the Staff Officers & Major Hereward Wake & Colonel Oxley of the Kings Royal Rifles are among them. I shake hands with all the officers & have a good time all round. Have dinner at the Officers’ Mess & tea at the Head Quarters Cook House. I leave at 5 pm for the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry camp loaded with meat biscuits (Peak Freans) & other delicacies. There are several crucifixes & shrines at the village of Blaringhem.
The Canadians have only had Bully beef & biscuits all day & a little bacon at night. No bread of course.
Very light bombarding on the front but the KRR & Ghurkas lost a lot of men in trench taking.


*KRR-Kings Royal Rifles
**Ghurkas – Nepalese military units within the British Indian Army. 200,000 Gurkhas served in the British army over WWI and the Ghurkas fought in a wide variety of countries and battles during the war

Filed Under: 1914, Diary Entries Tagged With: Blaringhem, Canadian light infantry camp, King George, KRR & Ghurkas, Major Hereward Wake, mp3, Queen Mary, Xmas Day

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