[transcription provided by collection donor]
Nov 4, 1917
More trouble with the O.C. ordering out the Water Detail man on working parties. He got real nasty & even threatened to arrest me.
Nov 5, 1917
Feel real miserable suffering from effects of gas. Had nausea, conjunctivitis, sore throat, blisters & lung symptoms which are distressing.
My sick parades are very large. The boys are all used up & won’t last much longer without a rest.
Nov 7, 1917
Moved to Vlamertinghe where we put up for the night in huts & were bombed by Fritz. It’s an awful feeling to lie in your sleeping bag & hear the bombs explode all around you, expecting every minute to be your last. You feel so helpless & if you get up & move about you are more apt to get hit.
Nov 8, 1917
Mr. Hun was over in his plane but one of ours sat on his tail & so Fritz is no more. It was an exciting fight & we were yelling just like you do at a horse race.
Transported by busses to a farm about 2 miles from Poperinghe where we are billeted in tents. It sure is cold, wet & muddy.
Nov 9, 1917
Had another row with the O.C. He got called down from H.Q. for interfering with my water detail man. He is waiting for a chance to do me dirt.
Capt. Cote (padre R.C.) & I found a billet. We went to Poperinghe to get a bath. Had no luck so we went & had tea at Skindles.
Nov 12, 1917
Up at 4:30 am & broke camp Watou area. Moved to Ypres, being transported by motor busses. We dallied the greater part of the morning & afternoon there. At 4 pm when it was getting dark we began our march to Wieltje area. Here we camped for the night. No blankets, no ground sheets, etc. Ground was muddy. Gee it was cold.
Nov 14, 1917
Moved to Spree Farm & took up quarters in a pill box. Here I can stand up. There is about 4 inches of water in the pill box & plenty of smell but it is well protected by reinforced concrete - one of Fritz’s.
Here I had a quiet time though shells would drop around us all hours of the day & night. Had only five casualties.
Nov 17, 1917
Moved back from Spree farm to Sparks farm near Wieltje. The O.C. went to the transport lines & sent Major McConnell up. We were shelled a bit during the night.
Nov 18, 1917
A miserable day. During the night our camp was shelled. None of us got any rest. A nearby ammunitions dump was blown up & stuff from this was landing all around us. I am covered with lice.
Nov 19, 1917
Up at 4:30 am. We marched out to Ypres & here enbussed & rode through Dickebush, Locre, Bailleul, Hazebrouck to St. Venant where we spent the night.
Nov 20, 1917
Marched from St. Venant passing through Busnes, Lillers, Ecquedecques, Lieres, Ames to Amettes & here we are billeted. The O.C. has been giving everybody hell all day. He must have a very bad taste in his mouth. This is a very clean village & the people are pleasant.
Nov 23, 1917
Moved to Bailleul-les-Pernes; part of the Bn being billeted in Aumerval. Both of these villages are dirty & filthy being full of refugees who never seem to clean themselves.
In order to enter my room I have to pass through a barrage of stink made up of rotten cheese, excremental matter & dead rats. In the evening went over to Pernes with Capt. Cote & there we had supper with Major McConnell which we all enjoyed very much. On returning we heard that Major McConnell is leaving for Canada. The Bn is losing its best man.
Nov 24, 1917
Marched to Lillers so that the officers could have a group photo taken. Capt. Cote, Major Allen & I gave Major McConnell a farewell dinner.
Nov 25, 1917
Our first snow storm for this winter. Capt. Fairhead shares billet with me. I must say the people in this village are very good to the boys taking them into their houses & letting them sit around the stove every evening.
Nov 30, 1917
Went on leave with Capt. Cote. Spent two days at Boulogne, two days in London. Visited Louise at Harrogate. She & her husband, David, were very good to me. All the time I was suffering with P.U.D.
