Alfred George Richardson’s Diary Feb 1915

 

Salisbury Plain.

Monday 1^st February 1915:     Watched R.F.A. firing howitzers on S. Plain.) MUD                                                                                                  Glorious Day) MUD

Dozens of aeroplanes seen) MUD

Tuesday 2^nd February 1915:    Watched R.F.A. firing on S. Plain.  Wet day.  Mud                                                 terrible.  Walked 10 miles in 6” deep mud.  Tired out. Wednesday 3^rd February 1915: Reveille 6.0.  Parade 6-20.  Helped 3^rd W.R.R.F.A. stables& filled ammn wagons with 15 lb shells.  Mud awful.  Breakfast 8.  Signalling all morning on West Downs.  Saw          Canadians after practice for review by King George.  Ripping & inspiring sight.

Thursday 4^th February 1915:   Reveille 7.30.  Went signalling near Canadian Camp.  Saw King Geo review all 30,000 Canadians.  Most inspiring sight I ever saw.  2          Bi-planes continually flew over troops.  Glorious.  Aft holiday.  Walked to Shrewton.  Pretty village.

Friday 5^th February 1915:       Reveille 7-30.  Signalling on Plain all morning.  Aft holiday.  Stayed in billets reading the “Times”.  Went to Lipton’s Canteen & had an interesting chat with 2 Canadians.  One of them knew grandfather at the Buttes, Calgary.

Saturday 6^th February 1915:   Reveille 7.30.  Signalling all morning on Plain. Raining hard.  Mud indescribable.  Wet through.  After fine.  Walked to Stonehenge.  Ripping.  Quaint old place.  Saw Jack Moore & Tony Moss of advance party of 11th Batt. 4 W.R.R.F.A.

Canadians, with whom we mixed, are the best “sports” I ever came across.  Had several interesting chats with them. Canada has indeed done her share in this terrible war.  Far better equipped than British Army.

Salisbury – Sheffield.

Sunday 7^th February 1915:      Walked to Stonehenge with Jack Moore & Tony Moss Alan Senior Tommy Butler, Harry Eagle & Eric Stowel.  Paraded with Kits at 2.45 ready to depart for Sheffield.  Messed about until 4 pm.  Raining fast.  Left billets at 4 & tramped to Amesbury in awful weather.  Mud wretched.  Absolutely wet through.

Monday 8^th February 1915:    Waited from 6 till 2.40 am on Amesbury Station!!!  Most awful night I ever spent.  Dripping.  Set off 4-40 am.  Arrived London 9 am.  Peterbro’ 12-30.  Had coffee & scones.  Would you believe it!  Arrived Sheff  4-40 pm.  Never spent such a night before.

Tuesday 9^th February 1915:    Signalling on the “Tip” in morning & on Bramall Lane Football Ground in the afternoon.

Wednesday 10^th February 1915:  Signalling Bramall Lane in aft.  Battery Parade at Heely Baths in morning.

Thursday 11^th February 1915: Signalling all day on Bramall Lane Football Ground.  Y.M.C.A. at night.  Had a bath.

Friday 12^th February 1915:     Signalling all day on Bramall Lane Football Ground.  Went to see “Forty Thieves” at the “Hip”.

Saturday 13^th February 1915: Signalling at Bramall Lane in morning.  Cleaning Glosop Road Stables 2-3 pm.  Went to Sheff Utd. (1) V Burnley (0).  Fire Picket at night.

Applied for leave but was unsuccessful.

Sheffield.

Sunday 14^th February 1915:    Reveille 6.45. Glossop Road Stables 7 – 8-30.  Church Parade at St. Barnabas 10 am. Glossop Rd. Stables 12.30.  Walked round by Bell Inn in afternoon with Geof Stead.  Y.M.C.A. for tea & writing letters at night.

Monday 15^th February 1915:  Signalling in morning on Bramall Land Football Ground & in afternoon in Norfolk Park.  Fine day.

Tuesday 16^th February 1915:  Shrove Tuesday.  Signalling all day in Bramall Lane.  No pancakes!!!

Wednesday 17^th February 1915: Signalling in Bramall Lane in morning.  Half day holiday in aft so went to Cinema House with T.A. Dean.

Thursday 18^th February 1915: Signalling all day on Bramall Lane.

Friday 19^th February 1915:     Signalling all day on Bramall Lane.

Saturday 20^th February 1915: Signalling in morn at Bramall Lane.  Informed by Lieut Walker that I was to be made             Bombardier.  Went to see Cup Tie 3^rd Rd.  Sheff Utd. (1) V Bradford (2).  Waiting Man to Pickets.

Put in for leave, but again unsuccessful.  Promised leave for next week by Lieut P.A. Walker.

Sheffield Ben Rhydding

Sunday 21^st February 1915:    Promoted to Acting Bombardier along with Geo. Shead.  Church Parade 10.30 at St. Barnabas Ch.  Stables 7 am, 12.30 & 4 pm.  Y.M.C.A. at night.  Supper with Martin.

Monday 22^nd February 1915:  Signalling on Bramall Lane.  In charge of party of Signallers (20).  Interview with Lieut Walker about my future duties etc.  Got my stripes.

Tuesday 23^rd February 1915:  Stables, Glossop Rd in morning & exercising horses.  In charge of Gate Picket in aft relieving Bomb Becket, (in Riding School).

Wednesday 24^th February 1915: Baths & Stables in morning.  Relieved Geo Stead Gate Picket in aft so that he could play soccer in 4^th           Section (6) v 2^nd Section (0).

Thursday 25^th February 1915: Exercising horses in Norfolk Park.  Inoculated at 11 am.  2^nd dose.  Helped Doctor to do rest.  Went with Bds Shead & Bulcock to Cinema Café & Y.M.C.A.  Bed 5- 30.

Friday 26^th February 1915:     Got up 11 am.  Got paid at 2.30 & went home to Ben R. on 3-52 train.  Arrived Ben R. 5-33 pm.  Went to club. Spent a nice evening over fire.

Saturday 27^th February 1915: Got up at 8-30.  Went to Ilkley on bike with Marion Watkinson.  Played golf on Hydro links with Dad & Willie.  Raining hard.  Wet through.  L. Arm a bit stiff.  Went to see Mr & Mrs Beaumont & Miss Whitaker. Went to bed at midnight.

Doncaster.

Sunday 28^th February 1915:    Rose at 9am.  Went walk up Drive & Burnley Woodhead, & back by Railway Line.  Afternoon at Miss Whitaker’s.  Saw Dick Cowan.  Left 8.24 pm & arrived Sheffield 11-30.