25th May 1917

‘Battalion Orders’ we rarely found exciting or amusing - except sometimes, as on the occasions when it was announced that the Colonel had for disposal at cost price a number of high class razors which could be purchased at the canteen.

However commercialism was forgotten and, in his best parade ground manner, the Colonel announced that on the following day the GOC himself would be undertaking an inspection of the regiment.  There would be no formal parade since the great man had intimated that he preferred to see the Battalion actually in training according to the routine of the day.  There followed a long harangue on the pride of the regiment renowned for its rifle drill and smartness on and off parade, etc.  Any man found guilty of offending the code would, in army parlance, be ‘for the high jump’.  The battalion toiled and sweated as it had never done before.  We were not even permitted a good night’s rest.  At 11pm and again at 4am heavy air raids on the casualty clearing stations at nearby Duisans disturbed our slumbers.


Paraded for GOC's inspection on Saturday.
Air raids - 11pm and 4am.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes