War Diary of AA Laporte Payne

EXTRACTED FROM.

Brigade Diary, Personal Diary, Operation Orders, Note Books, Memoranda

Correspondence

—————–

19^th July 1917

July 19, 1917.

The Major has returned, so that responsibility has been shifted from my shoulders, but I am sorry in a way. Running a six-gun battery is generally interesting, often exciting, and is assuredly the best command in the field without exception.  So I have come down to the wagon-lines for a bit of a rest.  But I have plenty to do looking after the horses, carting ammunition every night up to the gun-line, which is a long and tedious business, when the Boche shells the road a nasty business.  From our first wagon-lines we have been forcibly ejected by the Boche.  So we have had to erect other horse lines, water troughs and harness sheds elsewhere.

Have you guessed where we are?

I have a bell tent now, and a camp bed of sorts, which is better than a soaking corn field.

Hitherto the weather has been bad, but today it is gloriously fine. I might get some bathing if there was less to do.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 19 July 1917

B.E.F.

July 19^th 1917

Dearest,

Many thanks indeed for all your letters. They arrived in a bundle owing to the disorganisation of our mail consequent upon the move here.  You must punish me severely for not writing to you more by neglecting to send me any news if I behave like this again.

Thank you too darling for your kind messages. I value your congratulations much more than the promotion.  After all it is only an acting captaincy and liable to be lost at any moment.

I am very glad you enjoyed Mr Cross’ visit. I had a most kind letter from him the same mail that brought all yours.

After all your hard work you will be very glad of a holiday. Mind you have a good rest and recover from the effects of your toil as a farm labourer before I come home on leave.

Please thank Mrs Lowe for her kind messages & tell her I am sorry not to have had the letter!!

How is the picking getting on? And how is Maude behaving herself?  Look after her well and send her home in good condition.  I hope you will have a good holiday with Mr & Mrs Cross.  You will be returning home I suppose about the middle of August.  What a long time you will have been away!

Well! Reg is married I suppose. I hope he will keep or be kept quiet now for a bit.  Miss Scarfe is engaged and Humph too, I hear, to a nurse.  He has not taken long has he?  What’s the matter with everybody?

The Major has returned I am glad to say so I have come down to the wagon-lines for a bit of a rest and I am not sorry. Still I have plenty to do looking after the horses and carting the ammunition every night which is a long job.  Like Messrs Paice & Cross we have been forcibly ejected from our lines by the Boche and we have had another camp to construct, and horse lines to make and water troughs and harness sheds to erect.

Mother has guessed where we are. I wonder if you can.  We have had an extraordinarily busy time.  I don’t get the comparative luxury of Headquarters now but still at present I have a tent and a camp bed which is a lot more than a wet corn field which is all we get in the gun line.

The weather has been very bad lately but to-day it is gloriously fine. Just fine for an afternoon of tennis or bathing.  The latter I might get if there were less to do.

I hope you are both keeping well. Give my love to Maude and thank her very much for her letter which I will answer as soon as I can.

I am longing for leave and a time with you. I hope when I do get away the weather will be fine.  I am just living on for that time.  What a long time it seems since my last leave.

With all my love, darling

And many kisses

Ever your

Arch.

F.S.P.C. 14 July 1917.

I am quite well

I have been admitted to hospital sick wounded and am going on well.

I am being sent down to the base.

I have received your letter dated telegram  parcel

Letter follows at first opportunity.

I have received no letter from you lately for a long time.

Signature only: Arch

Date July 14 1917

Addressee Miss Muriel Cross C/O Post Office, Eardiston Tenbury Wells Worcester   Postmark ARMY POST OFFICE 18 JU 17.

War Diary of AA Laporte Payne

EXTRACTED FROM.

Brigade Diary, Personal Diary, Operation Orders, Note Books, Memoranda

Correspondence

—————–

16^th July 1917

R.P. July 16,1917.

Since I last wrote we have moved to quite a new place. We were five days on the road, and travelled mostly at night, arriving at our destination usually at about 11 a.m.  Then we had to make our camp, water and feed the horses and what not.  So we get very little sleep.  As the Major is still away I am in command of the Battery.

The day we arrived behind the line here we got into camp at 9 a.m. Then I had to accompany the Colonel to reconnoitre battery positions.  We moved into action that night, which meant spending the whole [day] making gun pits.  In the morning I had to go to the O.P. to register the guns.

Since we moved into the line we have been living in the open in a cornfield with no shelters at all for anybody for two days. To add to the discomfort it has poured with rain the whole time, and the mosquitoes and sand flies have added to our misery.  The men are very tired; but we are still going strong.

Today is a perfect day. I should like a bathe.

16-7-17.

To Staff Captain, R.A.

XV, Corps.

Ref. C.471.

(A.M.S. 4^th Army 146/35.)

Acting Captain ARCHIBALD ALDRIDGE LAPORTE PAYNE is recommended for promotion to Temporary Captain.

1. Furnivall.

Lt. Col., R.A.

Commanding 175^th Brigade R.F.A.

16-7-17.

July 16, 1917.

We have completed our move. For five days or rather nights we travelled along the roads of France going steadily north.  Usually we started at 1 a.m., arriving at our destination each day at 11 a.m.  Then we made our camp, watered and fed and groomed the horses.  Our next business was to ascertain and allot billets before the Brigade arrived.  After dinner we packed in readiness for our next stage on the journey that night.

We arrived at this place at 9 a.m., and I was immediately ordered to accompany the Colonel to reconnoitre battery positions, which took us all day. That night we moved into action.  Building rough gun-pits occupied the whole night.  The positions were and are in open fields.  The next day I spent in the Observation Post registering the guns.  Two following days were spent in a similar fashion.  The Major is still away, so I had to take the Battery into action.

For the first two nights in our new position we lived and had our being in a soft corn field run to seed, with no cover at all, either from the enemy or the weather. To add to our miseries it poured with rain during the night time.  I slept in a “two-men” shelter with one of the subalterns.  The thing is like an inverted V, so low that your nose stuck into the canvas top, so short that if your head was underneath feet stuck out at the other end.  The Boche, sand-flies, and mosquitoes complete our tale of woe.  Eating our meals and compiling daily returns for H.Q., importing ammunition, stores and what not, and urging the gunners to fresh efforts nightly to construct some sort of gun platforms in pitch darkness, all these things are enough to try the tempers of more saintly creatures than we are.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 16 July 1917

B.E.F.

July 16^th 1917

My darling,

Forgive my long delay in writing to you. I am awfully sorry.  Thank you very much for your letter of the 11^th.

I have never been so busy before.

We have moved and travelled for five days or rather nights – usually starting at 1 a.m. and getting into camp 11 a.m. Then we had camp to make and horses to groom and feed & then pack for the next day’s move.  We arrived at this place at 9 a.m. and immediately I had to go with the Colonel reconnoitring positions which took us all day and we moved into action that night.  We were up all night building gun pits etc and the next day I spent ranging the guns from the O.P. as also the following  two days.  The Major is still away so I have been in command.

We have lived in a cornfield for two nights with no cover at all and to add to everything it poured with rain during the 2 nights and the Boche, sand-flies, & mosquitoes do not leave us alone – all this with numerous returns for headquarters have annihilated my correspondence – so you will forgive won’t you darling. I literally have not had a moment.

I will try and write you a proper letter tomorrow.

I am glad you enjoyed Mr Cross’ visit.

Forgive more now.

With all my love & kisses

Always yours

Archie.

FIELD SERVICE POST CARD

To T. Smith, 24 Palmerston Rd, Bowes Park, London N22 England.  Postmarked Field Post Office 20.  16 JY 17.

I am quite well

I have received your letter dated 9^th July Regd

Letter follows at first opportunity

Signature only. A. Smith.  Date  July 15^th 17

July 16^th 17

Dear Father

I am writing to thank you very much for the 10/- note received yesterday; it came as a pleasant surprise.  We have been paid more regularly lately but money is always useful I did not change the other one until last week.

Have you seen anything of the air raids lately, I hope not as they do not give a very enjoyable time.  I heard from Ciss the other day they certainly came too close there to be pleasant but it was a good job none of them was hurt.

We are still at the same place & not having a bad time we do not have so many hours on parade as we have been getting.

What do you think of the war news lately I don’t think you & Mr. Fillary will have to go I fancy it will be settled before then; I don’t think it will last long now by the look of things the Russians are doing very well again.  I am looking forward to soon being back in good old Blighty again.

The weather has been rather changeable lately but still very nice not too hot.

Have you heard from Albert Taylor lately I hope he is well I should like to write to him if you know his address.

I am glad to say I am very well & I hope you are jogging along merry & bright & that you are all in the best of health.

I think I am dried up for news now so must finish off.

With much love from

Your devoted

Son

P.S. I should be glad of a tin of Harrisons if you get this before you send a parcel but otherwise there is no hurry as I still have one full tin.

FIELD SERVICE POST CARD

To T. Smith, 24 Palmerston Rd, Bowes Park, London N22 England.  Postmarked Field Post Office 20.  16 JY 17.

I am quite well

I have received your letter dated 9^th July Regd

Letter follows at first opportunity

Signature only. A. Smith.  Date  July 15^th 17