A Rifleman's Journal

28th May 1917

The allocation into sections of the men of the new draft in their respective platoons was now essential and B Company was paraded with all the officers present.

Snipers required special qualifications and were chosen first. Volunteers were called for – “Any marksmen?” – there were none. “First class shots?” – I looked at Bradley and raised my eyebrows. He responded by whispering - “No fatigues!”. Simultaneously we took one step forward and were thereupon nominated as Platoon Snipers.

Poor Forster was nowhere in the running when it came to shooting and gloomily foresaw the break-up of the trio. I am glad it did not work out that way.

6:55am parades.
Detailed sniper with Bradley.
Map reading, contour lines, etc.
Air raids.
Half day off.
On the range in evening.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

27th May 1917 (Whit Sunday)

Drumhead service on the football ground was a change from the exertions of the previous day although to me the regimentation of the Church service smacked of religion by numbers. Standing at attention in the boiling sun I could not attune myself to the pious attitude the occasion demanded nor enter wholeheartedly in the many appeals to the Almighty to bless our cause and our arms. The ceremony failed to provide the necessary uplift which the spirit demanded and I became depressed and ashamed of my heretical outlook.

In the weeks that followed I learnt to know the meaning of Christianity without frills from all those men with whom I spent every hour of every day. I owe them much.

Church parade.
Divine service on football ground.
4:30am air raid.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

26th May 1917

The general was late – a prerogative exercised by the top brass. From an early hour the company were hard at it - squad drill, rifle drill, more squad drill, rifle drill, marching and wheeling in formation interminably until officers and men were sick and weary with the continuous performance. Lunch would be late. Platoons were detached for individual squad drill and Lieutenant Smith manoeuvred No. 8 into a secluded position at the rim of the perimeter. Here we continued our labours until Smith, in desperation, said “Hold it – I’m fed up with this lark let’s play strap-ass”.

Strap-ass is a simple game. I have forgotten the precise rules but for the purpose of this chronicle the title itself is explanatory and all embracing. Briefly, the participants stand in a circle facing inwards. Each man in turn has the privilege of using a heavy leather belt, any man at the receiving end has to chase around the ring to avoid the buckle end and resume his position. We became thoroughly immersed in the enjoyable break from routine, not excluding the worthy Lieutenant himself who in the excitement of the chase was prancing around like a schoolboy and generally behaving in a manner unbecoming to an officer and a gentleman, at least on the parade ground.

No. 8 Platoon were having the time of their lives when a voice from the ring spoke. The Colonel, not only the Colonel but also the Brigadier, standing not many yards away were interested spectators. Whatever our distinguished visitors may have thought about our military antics No.8 Platoon and the officer responsible for them, Smith’s reaction to the unexpected and his demonstration of quick thinking should at least have earned him a few marks. After one, quick obscene exclamation he said, in effect, “Carry on with the strap-ass, we can’t stop now you’ve got into it and for God’s sake don’t let me down”. I am sure the Brigadier had never before seen such a rip-roaring display as we put on that day for his edification. To our great surprise the great man congratulated Lieutenant Smith on his enterprise and the men of No. 8 Platoon on their spirited exhibition.

The battalion was under strength and a further draft arrived in the afternoon.

GOC's inspections.
Half day off.
Draft arrives.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

"On May 26th, the G.O.C., 56th Division (Major-General Sir C.P.A.Hull) inspected the Battalion, and thanked and congratulated it on the part it had played in the Battles of Arras. In the course of his speech he impressed on all ranks the need for greater reliance on the rifle; and it is of interest to note that, in the fighting in the autumn and afterwards in the spring of 1918, the Battalion specially distinguished itself by the effective use it made of this weapon."
Excerpt from "The War History of the 1st Battalion Queen's Westminster Rifles 1914-1918" [ISBN 1-84342-610-2]

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

24th May 1917

We halted in front of the billet and on dismissal the usual scramble for the best places ensued. The quarters consisted of the usual barn but with a variation. Two tiers of bunks had been erected around the four walls and we slept on chicken wire instead of the cold stone floor to which we later became accustomed.

Since the lower tier was more easily accessible and had obvious advantages for manipulating equipment and other gear the first comers naturally took possession. I was in the first rush and immediately staked my claim by depositing pack, rifle and other impediments on the ground floor. My satisfaction was short lived. Uncles (his real name) was, at a guess, a well domesticated bachelor with an overwhelming passion for evening cocoa. Climbing into the upper bunk he neatly arranged all his goods and chattels; set up an abominable primus stove of sorts and balanced his mess tin precariously on the top. I lay on my back apprehensively watching events through the slackened chicken wire above my head. That was the one night Uncles went without his cocoa. A few extra stains on my uniform was not of great import but the full contents of one mess tin of boiling mixture on the chest was not to my liking.

Moved to Agnez(-lès-Duisans).
Wire beds, etc.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

Google Maps entry for Agnez-lès-Duisans here

23rd May 1917

Physical, games, squad, etc.
B Company complimented by Colonel.
Bombing lecture.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

22nd May 1917

Wet.
Detailed as bomber by 2nd Lt. Smith.
Service by Chaplain.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

21st May 1917

Bath. Parade.

Original diary entry

Original diary notes

20th May 1917 (Sunday) - Joining the Battalion at Duisans

Motor lorries to Duissans.
Joined Battalion, 8th Platoon, B Company, 1st QWRs.
Huts.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

"When the Battalion came out of the line after the Battles of Arras, it was very weak in numbers, and it had lost the majority of its officers; but nine officers and a large draft of men arrived at Duisans on May 20th. Shortly afterwards the Battalion was up to strength."

Excerpts from "The War History of the 1st Battalion Queen's Westminster Rifles 1914-1918" [ISBN 1-84342-610-2]

Google Maps entry for Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise here
Google Maps entry for Duisans here

19th May 1917 - Letter

Letter home to Mum and Dad ...

19th May 1917

FSMO⁽¹⁾ inspection, etc.
March to Bouquemaison.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

(1) FSMO - Full Service Marching Order

18th May 1917

Route march to Ivergny.
Bad feet.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

17th May 1917 - Postcard

Postcard home to Mum and Dad ...

Same scene of L'Eglise St Vaast, Riviere, France in 2008 on Google Streetview

17th May 1917

Very wet - no parade.
Repaired billet.
Rifle and sword inspection.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

16th May 1917

Paraded sick with foot.
Fatigue - burying cow in field.
Bath.
Parade.
Wet and cold.

Original diary entry

Bath.
Lucheux - 5 miles away.
Medical inspection.

Original diary entry

Original diary notes

Google Maps entry for Lucheux here

10th May 1917

Le Souich.
Parade ground musketry and bayonets.
Afternoon - feet inspection.
YMCA concert.
Lt. Hooper officer in charge.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

9th May 1917

At 5am we detrained at Bouquemaison, a little town in open farming country some twenty miles to the west of Anas and proceeded on foot to Le Souich two miles nearer to the big town.

A few hundred yards along the road the column was halted in front of a small wooden building and Lieutenant Hooper, in charge of the draft, addressed us in the following terms.

“We are about to draw iron rations. Each man will be issued with a canvas bag containing one tin of bully beef, one tin of tea and sugar mixed, six biscuits and one bar of chocolate. These rations are for emergency use only and must not be consumed except in times of great extreme – for example if you find yourself cut off from your unit by enemy action and unable to draw rations in the usual way. Any man found guilty of misusing iron rations will be court-martialled and subject to severe punishment. You will now proceed in single file and the Quartermaster will issue one iron ration to each man.”

Having drawn the iron rations and stowed them away in haversacks we continued the march along the dusty road between the barren fields until on the immediate outskirts of Le Souich the column was again halted in front of another wooden building. In a load voice Hooper again addressed us – “Now men, we are about to draw iron rations. You have already been instructed what you will incur if you misuse them”. Raising his voice again - “you will now proceed to the Quartermaster who will issue one iron ration per man.”

We had received our first lesson in the art of soldiering as practised by the old sweats throughout the ages from one who had himself served in the ranks and whose heart, I suspect, was still with the boys. Poor Hooper was killed in the battle of Cambrai in the following November.

That night we had a brew up and by the time ‘lights out’ sounded every man was replete and yet fully equipped with one iron ration according to the requirements of King’s Regulations.

Le Souich was the usual nondescript French village but one with a particular sense of civic pride. Across the village street was strung a high banner bearing the words “Le Souich – this is a clean village keep it so”! We took over our quarters, one odorous, broken down cowshed with stables adjoining. Across the road was a disused estaminet⁽¹⁾ and the usual midden encroached in all directions. We were now the 7th Army Corps Reinforcement Camp and here were issued box respirators⁽²⁾, the PG gas helmet having been supplied at an earlier date. We did not appreciate this additional burden to our over weighted bodies, although I personally had good cause to be grateful for it at a later date.

Arrived Bouquemaison early morning, 5am.
Billeted in cow shed at La Souich.
Box respirators.
7th Army Corps reinforcement camp.

Original diary entry

Original journal notes

Google Maps entry for Bouquemaison here
Google Maps entry for Le Souich here

(1) estaminet = cafe
(2) Imperial War Museum example of a box respirator here.