23rd August 1914 

 (Sunday) Attended a service conducted by Rev. Goodge.  Large number of wounded were taken to Civilian Hospital and station.  Numbers of aeroplanes seen overhead, German, French and British. Battle of MONS, very heavy firing.  Nearly all badges and small kit given away to people as souvenirs.  Equipment etc. left behind.  40 bearers left behind on retiring.

REAR GUARD ACTION COMMENCES

22nd August 1914

Left our bivouac at 7.10am.  Crossed the frontier into BELGIUM at 12noon,  arrived at DOUR and were billeted at a school at 3pm. Had a walk through the town for 1 hour.  Heavy guns firing.

21st August 1914

Left GRAND FAYT at 6.45am and marched until 5.45pm.  Bivouac in meadow 2 miles from GROMMEGNIES.  Large numbers of troops fell out, the heat was terrific, as the packs and everything carried by the soldiers weigh about 68 lbs.  Many cases of heat stroke,  this was to be expected,  many followed on afterwards.

20th August 1914

Arrive LE CHATEAU at 5.30 am, marched 16 miles and reached GRAND FAYT at 3pm.  The troops were billeted in various places, mostly in barns, many were well received and given a good tea and breakfast by the people.  In the evening I spent a few hours with the family on whom I was billeted, father, mother daughter aged 18.  Their son, 23 years was at the front, he had been away 3 weeks.  These people could not speak a word of English so conversation was assisted by a grammar.  However I made myself understood and obtained two eggs I wanted.

19th August 1914
Left sheds at 9.30am for station. Entraining vehicles etc took two strenuous hours. The Northern Irish Horse arrived at the station.  Train left at 2.38pm.  Stopped at ROUEN, saw the cathedral, AMIENS 2am.

13th August 1914
Mobilisation (of his unit the 13th Field Ambulance) concluded at Phoenix Park, Dublin.

14th August 1914
Ready to start. Severe thunderstorm at night, like South Africa

15th August 1914
Reveille 4am. Left park at 7am. North Wall at 8.05 am. Embarkation on SS Archemedes (Lamport and Holt Line tonnage 3396).  Large number of horses. HQ 5th Division arrive.  Motor cyclists, R.G.A. Visited by Lord and Lady Aberdeen. Embarked at same time on other boats.

16th August 1914 (Sunday)
Boat left 3am.  Passed Smalls Light Lands End.

17th August 1914
Passed Channel Islands.  Arrived at Booths Line at 7pm at LE HAVRE. Austrian cargo boat laden with wheat captured by French destroyer and taken to harbour. Passage very smooth.  Length of journey 40 hours.

18th August 1914
Slept on boat in dock.  left quay at 7.20am for wool sheds, distance half a mile.  Visited town of LE HAVRE with Staff Sgt Bain.  Warm sunshine, streets very neat and pretty and shops attractive.  We were given a wonderful reception by by the people who were eager to obtain from us some souvenirs.  The streets were brilliantly decorated with flags, the children stopped to shake hands or be kissed. We walked along the sea front, the beach was of pebbles and there were many bathers.  We enjoyed our walk, 4 to 6pm, very much. We rode part of the way by trams which were crowded.  The trams were without a top floor.  Of course normal traffic was mixed with the streams of the various military movements.

Sergeant Major Henry Bangert of the Royal Army Medical Corps was posted to the Western Front as soon as the war started and kept a diary for the time that he was there until he was invalided out on 14th February 1916. He wrote almost daily, recording his day to day activities,  and his work in field hospitals and reporting on the military action that was taking place around him.

After the first few excerpts I shall attempt to post entries on a daily basis so each can be read 100 years from the day it was written.

I'm Henry's sixth grandchild, youngest daughter of his second son, Harry. When I knew him he lived by the sea in Trimmingham, Norfolk and I well remember his cheefullness, his military bearing and a determination to swim in he sea in all weathers, despite stray WW2 land-mines on the beach!  He was never one to show his feelings.