[transcription provided by collection donor]
May 4, 1919
Played golf all afternoon & evening. There are a large W.R.A.F. here but officers are supposed not to have anything to do with them. The Tommies are in their element. The Board work is slow & tiresome. Major Beech & I walk on the average of eight to ten miles a day. There is nothing else to do except golf & it’s nearly three miles to the golf links.
May 10, 1919
Major Beech & I went to Bournemouth. It’s a very nice place. In fact, I wouldn’t mind living there. We returned in the evening, had supper at the Crow in Blandford. There is a pretty waitress there so we enjoyed ourselves. Walked back to the camp.
At time I suffer a good deal of pain. Mostly at night I am unable to get into a comfortable position. Most of my pains are abdominal. Have pains in the back & sometimes in the left hand & the left back of shoulder. At times I run a stretch of two weeks of insomnia & then a few nights of good rest. Lately my general health has greatly improved – if I only could sleep.
May 17, 1919
Had a dance to which we invited a number of the W.R.A.F. girls. They came in fancy dress. We did have a good time. The punch had a kick like a mule. Oh yes, we did have a good time.
May 20, 1919
Had another dance with the same girls. The punch this time was more of a Y.M.C.A. variety. Still we had a good time.
May 21, 1919
Went to Bournemouth with Lft. Lyons of Kingston, Ont. Motored through the new Forest which is not a Forest but it was a very nice ride. There doesn’t appear to be anything for us to do so we are sort of hanging fire waiting for orders.
May 23, 1919
Received orders to report to A.D.M.S. London on the 26th. Went to Bournemouth & there met Dollie Keene who is now married. We put up at the Bourne Hall Hotel.
May 26, 1919
Report to A.D.M.S. London & put up a fight to be sent home. We had quite a row & my opinions of the C.A.M.C. staff H.Q. were not a bit flattering.
May 27, 1919
Resumed my fight to be sent home, no luck. Ordered to Egham to board the Forrestry Corps.
May 28, 1919
Reported at the Forrestry Corps, Egham. The camp is in Windsor Park & everything looks fine. Here I met Capt. Munro, Mr. Seaton & Mr. Lyons all of the C.A.M.C., Capt Roberts & Capt. Sutherland. While in London I met Bobbie Green who is on his way home. At present there are 70,000 Canadians in England.
May 31, 1919
Walked to Staines then up the river to Egham where I procured a canoe & then went down the river. Met Capt. Roberts & took one of his friends in my canoe. Canoed in & out around and about then had tea, late supper & more canoeing. Got back to Egham 10pm & walked to the camp in one hr. Miss E. Hardy hadn’t been with me 10 min before she invited me to come & spend a weekend at her place. And yet people say the English are slow.
