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.
Wednesday 8 September 1915 – fine
Princess Pats hold sports. Received letter from Reverend N.J Thompson. I go to Nieppe. Am entertained to tea by some French ladies into afternoon. They are from Ypres, Lille and Armentiéres.
Sunday 25 July 1915 – showers
No Church today, am feeling [bum?] All in with a cold.
Scores of aeroplanes are passing overhead, also airships.
Lieutenant Bevington and 4 other Officers go to the Front to join Princess Pats
Monday 19 July 1915 – fair
Writing letters all day.
Have a very bad cold.
Colonel Buller inspects the Princess Patricia’s and Company gives him 3 cheers.
Placed £17 in post office savings bank making £20 in all.
Thursday 8 July 1915 – windy and cloudy
Assisting carpenter in morning.
Wrote letters in the morning.
Colonel Buller and Major Gault paid a visit to what remains of Princess Pats.
* Lt Col H.C. Buller – Colonel Buller took command of the regiment after the death of Colonel Farquhar. He was injured during the Second Battle of Ypres and lost an eye but returned to command the regiment in 1916. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Sorrel on June 2nd 1916.
** Lt Col A. Hamilton Gault –Was a driving force behind the creation of the Princess Pat’s. Gault offered the Canadian government 100,000 dollars to help raise and equip the battalion for overseas duties. Upon the formation of the Regiment he was made Major and was second in command. Gault was also wounded during the Second Battle of Ypres and was forced to give up command until he returned in October of 1915. Gault lost a leg during the Battle of Mount Sorrel in 1916 but again returned to the war, eventually commanding the Princess Pats near the end of the WWI.
Tuesday 6 July 1915 – showers and windy
The Draft of “Princess Pats” leave for France at 7:30 am. 35 men.
We have a large Muster Parade.
Thursday 13 May 1915 – raining hard
863 men and Officers left here this morning to fill up the gaps in the Princess Pats!!! Doctor grants me light duty and for Medical Board. Refused to send me back yet.
Wednesday 12 May 1915 – fine
Passed Doctor but nothing definite is done.
Walking exercise in afternoon.
‘Tis rumoured that Princess Pats have been completely wiped out at Ypres and only one Lieutenant and 120 men left.
