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Family transcript 10: "Great War Diary" pt 2
Second set of excerpts from the Great War Diary 1915-1916 of my maternal Grandfather, Ernest Walter Cooke (1895-1949), commencing August 1915
AOUT 3. MARDI S. Geoffroy No swim S.H. 3.0 pm & Stewart & Iddon End of first year of war 4. MERCREDI S. Dominique Swim 6.0 am Rough Sea Beginning of second year of war Memorial service in Boulogne Cemetery unable to attend. 5. JEUDI S. Abel Swim 6.0 am Saw British Destroyer “F” Type Had 6 photographs taken S.H. @ 3.0 pm Evans goes on leave 6. VENDREDI S. Sixte 6.0 Swim S.H. 7.0 pm (shorthand phrase) 8.30 pm Corporal drowned @ Wimereux 12.. JEUDI Ste Claire Swim 12.0 noon (Orders against swimming without picquet) 13. VENDREDI S. Hippolyte Photos to be ready ? Swim 6.0 am S.H. 3.0 pm 18. MERCREDI Ste Hélène No Swim Started applic for Field Unit Oxo gets 10 days CB26 for (shorthand phrase: “for disobeying an order”) 26Confined to barracks 19. JEUDI S. Donat Swim 6.0 am Met 2 tarts 20. VENDREDI S. Bernard Swim 6.0 am Dived off raft head first into sea stuck in bottom. 21. SAMEDI Ste Jeanne Saw Mr R McRinns (?) Chandler (?) Swim 6.0 am S.H. 3.0 pm Ship sunk just outside. Mail Boat stopped. Destroyer comes to the rescue. 5 lost 5 sunk Mid Inspection 2.15 pm Boat William Dawson Brit Collier27 HS Clement Castle (?) Glenam Castle (?)28 27The “William Dawson” was sunk off Boulogne on this day by mines laid by UC-5, a German U Boat: this was the first time such a vessel had managed to lay mines in the English Channel. 28Probable reference to Hospital Ships: one might be HMHS Glenart Castle which was torpedoed in February 1918. 22. DIMANCHE S. Philibert Great excitement caused by excessive firing at sea by the forts and rifle fire from French Destroyer on mines which had floated from Calais. No success. No Mail or Leave Boat. Malyon Harrold Stewart & Green had great adventure by being carried away by current while bathing. Malyon saved by mast of ship from ship sunk. Humane Society came to rescue.29 More firing at night 9.15 Saw a mine hit. Big explosion. Wreck wash up on beach. 29Presumably a joking reference as the Humane Society rescue animals.... 23. LUNDI Ste Sidonie Monday 23 Swim 6.0 am More firing 9.30 am Another mine hit Saw Norwegian boat towed in. Suspected of laying mines. Bishop of Khartoum holds confirmation. 28. SAMEDI S. Auguste No Swim Medical Inspection by Col Campbell 12.15 pm Miss Lena Ashwell30 concert party in No 1 Ward @ 2.0 pm 30Lena Ashwell (1872-1957) was an actress & actor manager and was the first to organise large scale entertainment for troops: by 1918 she had 25 separate groups on the Western Front. 29. DIMANCHE Ste Sabine Swim 6.0 am French Band in Bandstand Arrival of 4693 Pte A. L. Turnball from 1st Division in relief of Cox Titch Hoodless goes on leave. SEPTEMBRE 1 MERCREDI SS. Leu et Gilles Mr Arthur Feather gives a ventriloqual entertainment in Barrack Room @ 2.30 pm Rough house in Clerk’s Mess by Sgt Barron and Thomas over 4 cucumber & 3 lettuce. 2. JEUDI S. Just Swim 6.0 am EWC, C & N.S. visit Salvation Army Soldier’s Home. Sgt Barron supplies new pyjama suit. EWC returns 5 francs. Thunder Storm @ 7.0 pm 3. VENDREDI S. Grégoire Swim 6.0 am No 9.0 am Parade too wet. Matron plays H? about the gramophone but does not discover who pinched it - Sgts Green & Ellis (?) Parcel from home. 5. DIMANCHE S. Bertin Swim 6.0 am Gift of Chocolates from Colonies 9. LUNDI Ste Reine Swim 6.0 am Large number of troops passed through with bands. 7. MARDI S. Cloud Football on sand at 6.0 am No Swim. 8. MERCREDI Nat. de la Vierge No Swim shower bath SA @ 3.0 pm Saw German Aeroplane which was wrecked at Cap Gris Nez. 10. VENDREDI Ste Pulchérie Swim 12.0 noon Paid 10 francs SA 3.0 pm Box of Jersey Dairies (? ) from Father Ballerine (?) Wrote Miss Iddon 11. SAMEDI S. Hyacinthe Start growing Maustach (sic) Medical Inspection at 12.15 pm by Col J Campbell (SR) M.B RAMC 13. LUNDI S. Maurille Cox goes home to Warwick. 16. JEUDI Ste Edith Iddon admitted with the flew (sic) Mine blown up Danger lights burn from the port Leave boat stopped 17. VENDREDI S. Lambert Jock Laing, Old Jones Woodford & Harrold made (acting corporals?) & pay from yesterday. Windy made A L Sgt Swim @ 6.0 am 18. SAMEDI Ste Sophie Swim @ 6.0 am 10 men presented with medal by French General. One has Legion of Honour. 21. MARDI S. Mathieu No swim Concert in Barrack Room @ 5.30 pm 24. VENDREDI S. Andoche Swim @ 12 noon Paid 10 f Recd 5 francs from Lt R G Abercrombie for services rendered Dental inspection by Col Campbell Last swim of the season No see 17/10/10 25. SAMEDI S. Firmin Watch to be finished ? Went SA 7.0 pm 26. DIMANCHE Ste Justine ½ day Walk afternoon 7.0 pm Band Service at Holy Trinity Church Rev ? McCready preached 27. LUNDI S. Côme Walked to Wimereux at Night Y.M.C.A. Hut turned into Hpl. 28. MARDI S. Wenceslas Bushed (?) started Loos captured 29. MERCREDI S. Michel Nothing special Norwegian boat carrying timber said to have been blown up for laying mines. OCTOBRE 1 VENDREDI S. Rémi Iddons Birthday Started winter clothing. Very busy. Fairweather goes to 2nd Divn 6 Field Ambulance. 4. LUNDI S. François d’Assise Arrival of Boobyer from 8 Stationary Hpl 5. MARDI S. Constant Departure of Dusty Miller to 8 Stationary Hospital 7. JEUDI S. Serge French display Medals given to two English men by General Col Wilberforce Surg Genl Sawyer, Col Forrest (indecipherable phrase) 9. SAMEDI S. Denis Gil admitted to Hpl SA with Stewart Adderley & Green 10. DIMANCHE S. Paulin Gil put in Obs ward Went to 6.30 A.M. Service @ St Johns 13. MERCREDI S. Edouard Gil transferred to No 14 Stationary Hospital32 with Enteric Fever33 32At Wimereux at this time: later at Boulogne. 33Another name for typhoid fever 16. SAMEDI S. Léopold Half day Stewart (shorthand phrase) Received Papers, Note paper, Tobacco Music & Letter from Rose Rawlings No Swim Scrub out 17. DIMANCHE Ste Edwige Whole day in Malyon goes on night duty Verran comes on day duty Swim @ 6.0 am Last of season 18. LUNDI S. Luc, évêque Busty Roe goes on Amb Train Leaves box of chocolate for the Clerks No Swim too cold 20. MERCREDI S. Aurélien Swear Bose robbed of 6 ½ d 21. JEUDI Ste Ursule The King arrives in mail Boat with 2 airships & Destroyers as escort. Goes past in Car. 26. MARDI Ste Francine Sleep all afternoon 27. MERCREDI S. Fidèle SA 7. 0 pm Met Sgt Barron down Town. Had to treat him. |
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