Oct. 1/18 -
Visited 61st & 66th batteries. S.O.S. line just beyond Cavillers where hard fighting is in progress - some our battalion are badly cut-up. 61st report they assisted 1st, 3rd, & 4th Div. take the high ground N.W. of Cambrai & seize the bridgeheads over the Canal de I’Escault. The Boche fought stubbornly.
Oct. 2/18 -
During the night the Hun shelled Bourlon with his 4’1 high velocity gun. One shell went through our cook house, several in the yard & one into the pond opposite us but no casualties. We are being held up on this front badly.
Oct. 3/18 -
60th battery in rather hot spot north of Raillencourt. News of Bulgaria agreement to allied peace terms.
Oct. 4/18 -
Walked through Bourlon Wood with Capt. Batty - a wonderful stronghold. The 4th Div. taking out the German guns & ammunition.
Oct. 5/18 -
The Hun bombed all through the night - one battery near the 60th had 57 casualties & great loses in horses & mules.
Oct. 6/18 -
Had a colonel adjutant & R.O. wished on us by Dwartz. They stayed all night - hopeless & helpless - the colonel carried his bath tub around with him [unreadable/missing] much more important to an Imperial colonel than winning the war. The 61st behind the 34th Infantry Brigade (Imperial) - they consist of the Manchesters, Dorsets & Northumberland Fusiliers.
Oct. 8/18 -
‘Pay’ & I started from Bourlon after lunch & “jumped lorries” through Arras to Aubigney. Oh! so fine to get back into the peaceful, prosperous country. Put up at the Club & had dinner.
Oct. 9/18 -
Had a quiet night at the Club - no bombing. Went to Officers ordinance, bought raincoat etc. Had difficulty getting back by lorries. News of a move tomorrow. 2nd Div. nipped off East of Cambria this morning.
Oct. 10/18 -
Moved from Bourlon & took up H.Q. in Donai Cambria rd. near Saucourt/ Hun evidently on the run - fairly comfortable in old farm house - no roof.
Oct. 11/18 -
On the move again. Took up waggon lines in [Tilloy ?] - a fine old farm all the horses stalled & bedded nicely but had to spread tarpaulin over our roof - full of holes & raining.
Oct. 12/18 -
I made rounds of batteries scattered through Eswars. 58th living in luxury with piano - bathes etc. 58 & 66th have mess in Seine cellars. Got lost in evening coming home from 58th - waggon lines near canal - very dern hard to find telephone ground lines.
Oct. 13/18 -
It rained hard in night - Pay & I nearly drowned out. Waggon lines moved from Sancourt toward Tilloy. The enemy spotted them so had to move to the left of Ramillies.
Oct. 14/18 -
All kinds of wild rumours running rampant today about peace being declared. The Hun is retreating rapidly on this front. Orders to move. Moved from Tilloy to Ramilliers. Forward H.Q. at Eswars.
Oct. 15/18 -
Visited forward positions well within machine gun range in their position but it grew dark before I could find 61st beside the canal.
Oct. 16/18 -
58th’s Fochs appeal to the troops is to “Prepare to fight - peace will take care of itself.”
Oct. 18/18 -
Considerable artillery activity during the night. 4th Field Ambulance moved & no trace of them. Word tonight to move tomorrow.
Oct. 19/18 -
Left Ramillies about 7:30am to Eswars. In the pm while visiting batteries word came for another move. I left Eswars in the dark to find Brigade - walked through Thien Levique to Paillencourt. Searched through the towns in a drizzling rain. Finally found 55th & had a sandwich, marched North across the canal through Waveschair to Marquette. Reached 66th cold, wet, sick & hungry about 12:30am.
Oct. 20/18 -
I don’t think I was ever more miserable in my life, with a sort of La Grippe to boot, than when I reached the good old 66th. Culver & Bates got me some tea with bread & jam & I bunked in them them. I believe the strenuous walk cured my La Grippe felt fine this am when I reached Brigade about 7am. We continued our onward march from Marquette through Mastaing and Roeulx - Canal flooded - arrived in billets at Escaudin.
Oct. 21/18 -
Yesterdays march was a great experience. The French people hung out their resurrected flags & certainly welcomed our troops. They were especially demonstrative at Rolaln. This pm we pushed on again to Haveluy & were welcomed there. I have had quite a practice amongst civilians . The Hun is offering very little resistance but we lay in S.O.S. lines each night.
Oct. 22/18 -
Had a comfortable night & a good day today. Batteries in action on edge of town & boys are in billets. A great rest for both men & horses as there is plenty of fodder - they have been very much run down lately.
Oct. 23/18 -
Found the 66th battery this am in Belays & visited others, also a number of civilians. Pay started away last night on leave but returned on account the Canadian leave coming through soon.
Oct. 24/18 -
Visited a number of civilians - Spanish Fever still running among the civil population. Pay & I climbed to the top of the slag heap near the Fosse at this town of Haveluy. We are enjoying a good rest here. The guns are in a reserve position.
Oct. 25/18 -
Raining a little but the Colonel & I went for a cross country ride through Oisy, Herin & Aubry. Got some supplies at 11 Field Ambulance & had a fine canter back, Betty was in a lather. My leave warrant had arrived.
Oct. 26/18 -
I am all ready to leave but no sign of my relief. The Colonel & Alan put up a fake order from Div. on me.
Oct. 27/18 -
While at 66th a message from Brigade to say my relief had arrived. Capt. Bailey so I hurried back & went with the ambulance to Aubischaurt. Met Geo Hall & we took another ambulance to Arras & put up at the club.
Oct. 28/18 -
Went to leave train before daylight at old Arras depot but waited over an hour & a half then spent all day until 4:15 to arrive at Boulogne - put up at a hotel & went to a picture show.
Oct. 29/18 -
Came across channel at 9:30 accompanied by hospital ships, several destroyers and the airship “Silver Queen”. Arrived at Folkestone had lunch in Train to London. Put up at Waldorf & went to see “The Naughty Wife”.
Oct. 30/18 -
Today went to Vaudeville at Colosseum but very poor. Evening had dinner at Savoy. Geo. Hall, Dr. Holmes & I - met Abbott & Reg. Armitage - had a wonderful time. Visited tailors in am.
Oct. 31/18 -
We went up to Canadian Officers Club, 8 Chesterfied Gardens - very nice - had excellent lunch & bid Holmes good bye. In evening went to Appollo Theatre [“Soldiers Bog?]”
[Editor’s note: Transcription and transcription annotations provided by collection donor; minor formatting changes have been made to layout and to clearly mark transcriber’s annotations.]
