Monday 1 July 1918

Le Toquet
Very hot. About 2000 of the men & all the officers at C.T.B.D. down to Polo Grounds near Le T- for sports & had fine time. Officers mess in large marquee. Col. Armstrong of Wpg. wins all his events. Fine ball game between Can. Gen. Base & #3 C.G.H. Former won. Nursing sisters, V.A.D.'s, Waacs & drivers well represented. Got back 6K. Changed my clothes. Archie B. & I down to club but all seats booked for dinner. Had dinner at Mess 8:30. Bed 10:30K. The Boche visits again for about an hour at 11:30K. Some bombs pretty close. Won't he give us one night's decent sleep a [?].

Tuesday 2 July 1918

Clear & Very warm. Down to club with Alex. Tried to get breakfast & shave but too busy. Went down again right after [?] & got hair cut & shave. Back to lines & had fine bath in the steam. Orders out for Draft to proceed to C.C.R.C. at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Over to #7 Can. Hosp. with Reed of 5th. Sister McLeod from Brandon there [?] sister from Neepawa. Got [?] The Boche leave off for one night & we get a good night's sleep. Wrote Eva. Wrote Monteith.

Wednesday 3 July 1918

Etaples & Aubin St. Vaast
Cool & looks like rain. Up 6:30. Draft of men & officers move off at 8:30. Train left 9:30. Reached A. St. V at 11:30. Hogie there taking draft of men up to line. Had lunch with Forsythe & Child at 6th Bgd. Mess. Saw Ike Livingstone taking train for up the line. Got lift by Corrie up to 3rd Div. Wing. Passed lot of 249th boys on the road. Got to C. St. M. 1K. Saw Ferrier, Thompson, Laidman & Wests. Got to 8th Bgde. Mess & found Gainor & others. Carter there. Looks like a good place to me. Got our billet about 3K. Wright & I in with 2nd C.M.R. officer. Had beautiful meal at 7K. Guest night & band. 25 officers only. Up to ball game between 7th & 8th Brigade. Bed 11:30. Rec'd Mothers of May 10th/18.

Thursday 4 July 1918

Clear with nice breeze. Paraded before Col. Galt "Pats" for 5 minutes. Interview. Fine man. Went through tear gas after dinner to test S.B.R. Down to 9th Bgde. had tea with Chas. McIntosh. Up to his billett till 6K. Down to mess & had nice dinner. Met 52nd officers who know Ernie Whitehead & Beaulieu boys. Walked down towards 8th & met Dug Brown (In Pats). Up to McIntosh's billett for evening. Brown coming to 1 C.M.R.s if possible. Over to our mess but no maid. Bed 11 P.M. Wrote Dad. Eva.

Friday 5 July 1918

On parade from 8:30 to 12 noon & 2 to 3:30K. Had fine platoon for Drill. Down to mess for tea 4K. Down to Chateau with Wright to see Paymaster. Over to Billett & changed clothes. Had fine dinner & walked to top of West hill to view the vally. Different shades of trees, crops & roads very pretty. Up to X Roads & saw Yankee Sgt. box 5 Rds. with Canadian Sgt. Great crowds of our old 249th boys watch scrap. Over to R. Ferriers billet. Had some tit-bits out of one of his home boxes. Over to Mess & back to billett 9:30. Wrote long letter to Eva. Corps Reinforcements sports tomorrow. Wrote Eva.

Saturday 6 July 1918
Aubin St. Vaast
Clear & Very warm. Wright & I down to A.St.V. to Corps sports with parade 9K. Met Hogie at 6th Bgde. Mess & with him all day. Sports good. Met Fritz Eizinga, George Sears, McDougall, Lee Walsh. Told me Millican was in the 52nd Batt. Wright went on down south for two days. Wrote a letter to Frances, Graham & Blanche Lewis and put in with letter Forsythe had written them. Saw some good boxing bouts. Flyers doing stunts overhead nearly put sports on the hum. Rode back to our mess in Lorry9K. Slept at the Mess in Capt. Yates bed. Rutherford 5 C.M.R's in mine.

Sunday 7 July 1918

Very Warm. Felt rotten so did not take auto trip [?]. Slept all day till 6K. Couldn't eat any dinner. Ate some gooseberries which made me dam sick. Slept at Mess again.

Monday 8 July 1918

Very Warm. McKee & Young warned for the line. Took McKee's duties as O.O. but No. 1 C.M.R. officers on parade so handed over to Rutherford & went on parade all day. 8th officers played 9th game of Indoor baseball. 8th sadly outclassed by 14-4 score. Got letter from Ken Campbell. Had a bad crash on his way to England. Up to Mess. Mortimer back after being lost for 2 days. Bunch of R.A.F. chaps in from coast. Corey McKee into my billett at 10K. Up the line early next morning. Fine rain throughout the night. Country very much in need of it too.

Tuesday 9 July 1918

Clear & Cool. Overslept & had to rush to get on parade. Sent all my platoon for rifle examination to the armourers after P.T. over. Came down to billett & straightened out my kit. My platoon on L. Gun till 5K. Took charge of Pay Parade 1 C..M.R's until 5K. Had some tea at Mess & down to Billett. Dressed & went down to see the "Dumbells" at Hamilton Gault's theatre. Fine show. Had dinner at 7K.

Wednesday 10 July 1918

Route March 8:30-12 Noon. Afternoon off so walked down to see Hogie at 2nd. Wing. Had fine shower bath & saw game of football between M. Gunners & 4th Div. teams. Walked back at 8K. Over to Mess. Letter from Tom Blight. Ferrier & Thompson down for visit in my billett till after 11K. Wrote my name on a couple of letters to Ken & Lawson F. Walked up to their billett with them. Caught in heavy rain on way back got soaked & also slipped and fell in Mud. Some mess up. Batman asked me to have a heart.

Thursday 11 July 1918

Cool & threatening rain. Took platoon in practicing new open formation. Then on Lewis gun. Capt. Gale O.C. 8th Wing back from Blighty leave. Wrote Tom Blight also Ken. Campbell. Over to mess for tea & censored some letters. Mail brought letters from Vera (June 2nd) & Annie Laughton (June 3rd). Also my bank book from BofM. London. Up to see Ferrier, Thompson, & the West's going up to Batt. tomorrow. Wrote Ken C. Tom B. Mother.

Friday 12 July 1918

Raining heavily when we woke up. No parades. Censored bunch of letters. Spent morning writing to Eva & Annie Laughton. Censored more letters after lunch then wrote Vera long letter. No parade. Took my Webley up to the Armourer to have [?]-off reduced. Wright & I took long walk before dinner over east hill. No mail for me after expecting so much. Played cards till 11K. Bed 11:30. Wrote Eva. Annie L. Vera.

Saturday 13 July 1918

Dull & Cool. No parade for me a/c ranges tomorrow. Slept till 10:30. Censored a few letters. Whitmore & I walked over to H—n & back. Nice little town. Had tea at Mess. Packed my bed roll for Ranges tomorrow. Saw Dumbells again at Hamilton Galt Theatre. Better than before. Bed 11K.

Sunday 14 July 1918

Clear & Cool. Up at 4 A.M. Breakfast 4:30. Marched off for ranges 5K. Reached Ranges 11:30K. Just in time before the rain. Had lunch at officers mess. Pretty Rotten. Had foot inspection of C.M.R's. Rained all afternoon so slept most of time. Whitmore recalled to go up to the C.M.R's. [?] after dinner.
Home 10K 1st Army Musketry Camp France

Monday 15 July 1918

Cool & Dull. Slept till 9K. Dressed & shaved & had fine breakfast at 9:45. Some war, eh? On Parade to ranges 11K to 4K. 8th Bgde. defeated by score of 25-23 by 7th Bgde. in game of Indoor baseball. Went late to dinner. Down to the Estaminet at Corner. Met three fine chaps of the R.A.F. Home 11:30 P.M. Heavy electric storm in the early morning.

Tuesday 16 July 1918

Raining at 8K so paraded to ranges about 9:30K. Nearly sweltered in the heat especially while in huts. Into camp 2K. Had dinner & changed clothes for baseball. 8th Bgde. 17, 7th Bgde. 10 in 1st elimination game for Divisional teams. 9th drew bye so to play 8th at 6:30K. tonight. Second game ended 44 to 2 for 8th Bgde. Wrote Dad.

Wednesday 17 July 1918

Clear & Warm. Orderly officer 3rd. Div. party at Musketry Camp. Over to Musketry Camp all morning trying to borrow a football. Put up football goals & made baseball diamond in afternoon. Capt. Appleton (Patricias) & I had real old time swim in the creek. Cold as ice. 3 Div. beat 2nd. Div. 17-10 in baseball. 1st Army Musketry Camp France.
Metteringhem.

Thursday 18 July 1918

On ranges till 1K. Noon P.M. #3 Coy. on working party. Officers matched for who would go. Haddock & Hislop stuck. Wright, Smart & I walked into Corps Hdquarters U.S. Army. Nothing to be seen there so back to camp about 6 P.M. Dinner 7 P.M. Went to see 1st Army Concert Coy. One roar of laughter from start to finish. Up to 1st officers mess with Charlie Manson. Had chat with him till nearly midnight. Mail up from Wing. Letters from Mother (June 6) Dad (June 9th), Eva (June 11th) & Jean Hendry (June 28th).
Fruges

Friday 19 July 1918

Clear & Cool. Parade fell in early so I went straight from breakfast to ranges. Worked through till 2K. thereby finishing for the day. Had late dinner. Men beat officers by 16-8 score in game of baseball. 7 Bgde. beat 8th Bgde. same evening by 15-8 score. Raid made ball very slippery. Dinner at 8:15 P.M. on account to the "Rouges & Noir" (1st Army) concert at 5K.

Saturday 20 July 1918

Very Warm. No firing to do. Marked for 1st Div. party. Camp 11:15. Shower started at noon. No sports a/c rain all afternoon. Had fine sleep & was certainly ready for it. Had tea & played cards. Smart, Wright, Haddock, & Hislop & I down to our French home at the Estaminet after dinner. Got Clarkson out of bed for fake fire in kitchens. Later let his tent down on him. Bed 12:30 P.M.

Sunday 21 July 1918

Reveille at 3:15 a.m. On the march at 4 a.m. Cool & showery. Fine for a long march. Pretty sleepy with only 3 hours last night. Got back to Wing 9:15 a.m. Got bunch of mail. Letters from Dad (June 16) Mother (June 21) Eva (June 23). Monteith Dutton & Dodman over to my billett before noon. Officers hike it to base & the sea-shore. Wrote 14 page letter home. Archie Badger up from 1st Wing. Stayed for tea & dinner. Walked mile over with him. Looking fine. Had more fun than picnic with Claudine et les autres Mademoiselles. Wrote Dad.

Monday 22 July 1918

Woke up with cold and stuffed up head. Stayed off parade. Had late breakfast. Started letter to Eva. Went on parade in afternoon. Wright & I down to 2nd W.C.C.R.C. to see Hogie & have bath. Had dinner at 6th Bgde. mess & stuck around Hogies billett till after 10K. Home in the rain. Wrote Eva.

Tuesday 23 July 1918

On parade till 9K but rain chased us into our billets. Wrote long letter to Eva. Played cards all afternoon. Hogie up to our mess about 4K. Stayed for tea & dinner. Bunch went to pictures at H.G. Theatre. Hogie & I over to my billett & chatted all evening. Walked as far as Corps school with him about 10K. Wright fast asleep when I got in. Got letters from Chen & Chown. Wrote Eva 22 Pages.

Wednesday 24 July 1918

Route March all morning caught in heavy shower but no one very wet from it. Trees, Wright & I start out for to go anywhere we could get. Picked Hogie up at A.St.V. Caught dandy R.A.F. tender & reached B— by 3K. Had run around beach & city. Tea at the British-Française Club. Dinner at Hotel De Folkestone. Pretty heavy on the "Argent". Left at 8K. & home by 10K. Fine day. Invited over to 11th squadron R.A.F. for a fly. Met Mr. Coler (Montreal) & Mr. Gladman Pilot & observer always together. Stopped at Hogie's billett & had piece of fruit cake from Canada.

Thursday 25 July 1918

Just going on Parade when rain started. Dismissed No. 1 C.M.Rs on parade. Wright gets duty at A.St.V. Wrote letter to Mother. Wrote Chown, Chen. Wrote Mother. Jean. Roper.
Carron St. Martin

Friday 26 July 1918

Rained nearly all morning. Felt rotten with my cold so stayed in bed till noon. 7th, 8th & 9th Bgds. inspected at 2 P.M. by Major Gen. Lipsett. Everyone soaked in heavy downpour during the Inspection. On parade till 6 o'clock. Went to "Patricias" concert at 7K. Not as good as the Dumbells. Claudine there & had great time so she says.

Saturday 27 July 1918

Wright & I on route March with 1 C.M.R's till 11K. Whole Coy. down to Aubin St. V. for bath. Rained nearly all afternoon so played cards. Wilson of 1 C.M.R.'s over for dinner. Got letters from Dad (June 30) & Eva (June 27).

Sunday 28 July 1918

On Church parade 9K. Padre waxes eloquently. Wright tries to [?]. Wrote long letter to Eva but did not post it. Riley, Badger & Hosford over from 1st & 4th Wings about 4K. Had tea with us & saw old bunch of 249th boys. Got letters from home (Mother July 4th) (Dad July 7th) also Eva (July 6th). Down to see Hogarth after supper. Found he & Child at Cinema. Had long chat in his billetts. Walked home 11K. Rule just in from P.P. Wright & Trees follow 10 minutes later.

Monday 29 July 1918

Bright & Warm for a change. On parade all a.m. Fired a few #36 cup bomb. 1 C.M.R.'s take blankets to Disinfector. Wright & I down. Brought 1st party back. Wright 2nd party. Finished letter to Eva & posted it. Had tea & over to billett. Started letter home but did not finish it. Down to picture show with Wright & Rule. Saw same picture as at 2nd Div. show night before. Played cards for awhile before bed.

Tuesday 30 July 1918

Very hot. On parade all day. Roberts lectures for 1 hr. in "Après-midi" for Co-operation of Infantry & air service. Some lecture guest night at Mess. Two sittings. Finished my letter to Dad. Wright & I stayed in billett all evening. Madame after me for climbing her prune tree. Bed 10:30 P.M. Wrote Dad.

Wednesday 31 July 1918

In charge of party 125 men at 8K. to work on new rifle range. Very hot. Home 12:30 noon. Stuck around all afternoon. Played ball for awhile. Slim, Rule, Wright & I in billett all evening. Played cards. Bed 11:30K. No Mail.