15th November 1914  (Sunday)

Wet and cold continues. Letter to Lena. "Tomee goes into a shop marked Coiffeur, asks for coffee".

14th November 1914

14th November 1914

Letter to Emma. I think it is wonderful that such little difference has been made in life in London when the greatest crisis our nation had known is facing us, when within a day’s journey, our Navy and Army is being tried beyond conception as it has never been tried before, and whatever ones political notions may be, the way the Government has met the situation, the manner in which financial panic was reduced etc, thus allowing the steady flow of normal life at home to continue calls for the admiration of us all. Perhaps, again the things that call for not the least admiration are shown in the speeches and actions of our Public men, by their insight, temperance, steadfastness and inflexibility, by the loyalty with which the people are responding to all these, together with the perfect accord of our brave Allies, are surely leading us to Victory, which, pray God, may soon be ours to end the awful slaughter, the agonising wounds, the wrecked homes, the hunger of mothers and their little children. Oh, the contrast on our advance to Mons in Belgium and our retirement to Paris. With what joy and brightness did we meet as we passed through village after village and town after town. There at the cross roads the good people are gathered in the bright sunshine with all the best that the fruitful gardens and vineyards of Normandy can give. Here are gathered the grey haired and infirm old men and women together with pretty maidens, little children and homely matrons. How clearly do I still see them all, and as they cry Vive L’Angleterre they crowd round to give us flowers which we place in our hats, to give us wine, coffee, tea, soup or water, fruit of all kinds and food etc as they ran out of their doors to know the meaning of it. Then the home with all its memories and all they own in the world hastily vacated and left to its fate. Then the weary fatiguing flight of the poor mothers, besides carrying what few articles they could gather, helping along their children and carrying their babies. The old going on as best they could. Oh the sorrow of it all, and among them were women great with child. May God save England from such.

Letter from Lena. Visited the Army Post Office and saw how the sorting for the many and various units was carried out. Very busy place, well arranged, 9 benches for the R.A.M.C. alone, was given there a letter from Lena. The whole of the Army’s letters come through here. Chatted to one or two who were in S.A. Wet and Cold.

13th November 1914

Letter to Arthur: Regarding your remarks re theatres and amusements etc. I hope that the Call on the Nation and the requirements of our Navy and Army and the prolongation of this gigantic struggle will not be so continued but that, very soon, they may assume their normal condition. Two letters to Lena, letter from Lena.

12th November 1914

12.11.14 “Shells” G.  Ward Price P.D.M in Belgium. “Nothing brings home to me more vividly the stupendous scale of this war than to reflect when you hear the artillery banging away at any one point on the front, that the same thing is going on more or less vigorously right away from the coast of the N. Sea here to the German frontier of France 300 miles away to the south of Verdun (average cost of shell about £5). It is one of the characteristics of a modern battle that the first indication that you have of its existence is often to find yourself right in the middle of it.” Mr Asquith’s Guildhall Speech, “The din of conflict, the sight of ruins and devastation, the long agony of daily and nightly struggle among the bursting shells in the trenches, the patient and anxious vigil of our seamen beset by mines and the submarine – all these things, the terrible actualities of modern warfare, only come to us by report, except indeed when they are brought home more closely and more acutely by the maiming or the death of those whom we love. 

Received letter from Lena with Will’s (her brother?) from Abadan and how his accident prevented him from going on General Dobell’s staff.

JOF           FRE                  a symbol of how nothing     

FRE         NCH                     can divide our forces

11th November 1914

Rue Jaques. Wet and stormy evening, Visited town 5.30-9.30 pm.

10th November 1914

Visited Territorial R.A.M.C. and saw 12 Motor Ambulances move off for the front for VII and VIII Divisions. Also visited camp of Territorial Field Ambulances Nos. 24, 25 and 26. Sent letters to Lena and Albert.

It was fine to see the motor ambulances go off one after the other, so smoothly and so little road space wasted. What a difference to the horse vehicle with the jibbing refreshing too. Had a good bike ride round the camps in the, morning. Heavy rain set-in in the afternoon.

Visited No.1 Conv Depot and found 3 letters: 2 from Lena, dated 21st and 26th and 1 from Albert 26th. Letters sent to Lena with notes of Allotment and Separation Allowance, and Emma. Cpls Chettle, Bilbee and party arrive from reinforcements camp of 6th Division.

9th November 1914

March from station at about 6.30 am. Felt severe pains in groin, hip, shoulder, knees and calf of legs. Marched to our camp with great difficulty, up hill about 4 miles from station. Very damp and misty. After dinner move camp again, all tents, stores and kits being carried over by hand. Obtained some hay and made a good warm bed and had a good sleep. (Although posted to Le Havre, it will be over a fortnight before he takes up his new duties.)