Alfred George Richardson’s Diary Oct 1915
1915 diary shows Bombardier Gunner (Signalling Dept) A. G. Richardson 4th Section, West Riding Divisional Ammunition Column R.F.A., Norfolk Barracks Sheffield.
Home Address:- Station House, Ben Rhydding near Leeds. Yorks.
Poperinghe.
Friday 1st October 1915: Went for rations at 9.15. Cold wind. Bad headache. Stomach upset. Afternoon at the latrines & in the bivouac.
Saturday 2nd October 1915: Went for rations at 9.15. In bed with chill. Shivering all over. Bed all day. Feeling rotten at night.
Sunday 3rd October 1915: Still rotten. Rations 9.15. Back at noon. Afternoon holiday. Cold day. Reading & writing.
Monday 4th October 1915: Went for rations 9.15. Back at noon. Helping to put up stables in aft. Poperinghe bombarded. 41 shells.
Tuesday 5th October 1915: Went for rations at 9.15. Back at noon. Football match. We won 3-2, I scoring last goal. Afternoon letter writing.
Wednesday 6th October 1915: Went for rations at 9.15. Back at noon. Helping Dick Clarkson to put up horse jumps. On H.Q. Guard. “Stood to” at 4.30 am. Cold.
Thursday 7th October 1915: Went for rations at 8.30. Back at 11 am. In afternoon helping Cpt P.H. Walker with the horse jumps. P.H.W. jumping later.
Friday 8th October 1915: Went for rations at 8.30. Back at 11 am. Wrote 3 letters before dinner. Helping T.O.B. in aft with new stabling.
Saturday 9th October 1915: Went for rations 8.30. Back 11 am. Made some jelly & custard. Afternoon – playing football.
Poperinghe & Brielen.
Sunday 10th October 1915: Went for rations 8.30. Afternoon holiday. Fine & warm. Football H.Q. guard – 15 Shells into “Pop”.
Monday 11th October 1915: Rations 8.30. Back at 11. Won 3 1st prizes with mules, N.C.O’s mount & harness. Out at Pop. For P.H.W.
Tuesday 12th October 1915: Went for rations at 8.30. Back at 11. Afternoon holiday. Football & writing letters. Evening we had a sing-song.
Wednesday 13th October 1915: Went for rations 8.30. Back at 11. Helping T.O.B. with Stabling. Afternoon holiday. Played football.
Thursday 14th October 1915: Rations 8.30. Back at 11. Stabling with Butler. On H.Q. guard. Not a wink of sleep.
Friday 15th October 1915: Rations 8.30. Went up to Battery for gun-drill. Saw Arnold. Attchd to B gun with Cpl W. Dawson. Good night’s sleep amongst the shells.
Saturday 16th October 1915: Rose at 9.30. Cleaned B gun with W.L.D. and Ray Renwick. Fired 6 shell per gun. All batteries round about firing. Terrific din. Result: stopped German attack 3 times.
Brielen near Ypres.
Sunday 17th October 1915: Got up 9.30. Went potato digging with Butler. Gun laying & drill. Out at night with Arnold.
Monday 18th October 1915: Got up 9.30. Gun laying practice. German planes give battle to some of ours.
Tuesday 19th October 1915: Got up 9.30. German start “clodding” Dawson’s corner & kill R.E. Colonel. Fired 8 shell from B gun in aft. Went to Elverdinghe bricking 12-2 am.
Wednesday 20th October 1915: Got up 9.30. German aeroplanes over. Air duel. Clodding the wood by the enemy. Fired 10 shell per gun. Went to Brielen village with Arnold.
Thursday 21st October 1915: Rose at 5.30. & went with Horace Tennant down to O.P. & beyond. Heavy artillery fired on both sides. 11th Battery in action. Tenant & I between 2 fires. 30 shells near us.
Friday 22nd October 1915: Rose at 9.30. D gun firing 40 lb shells. Quite a success. We fired 8 rounds 50 lbs. Playing at games at night.
Saturday 23rd October 1915: Up at 9.30. Dawson goes to Wagon lines. Sergt Gee back from leave. Quiet day.
N.B. We knocked two trench mortars out of action on Friday.
Sunday 24th October 1915: Got up 9.30. My 19th Birthday. Had a lovely tea with Arnold & Sergt Gee. Beautiful cake from home. Grand day.
Monday 25th October 1915: Got up 9.30. Terribly wet, 1st wet day for weeks. Stayed in dug-out writing letters & playing games. Gramophone on.
Tuesday 26th October 1915: Rose at 9.30. Potato digging. Wet day. Amused ourselves all day with gramophone, letter writing & reading.
Wednesday 27th October 1915: Rose at 9.30. Went to billets for meals. In Brielen with Arnold shopping. Fine day. Many aeroplane fights. Very thrilling.
Thursday 28th October 1915: Rose at 9.30. “D” gun firing 40 lb shells. Quite a success. Firing at German transports at Pilkem Cross Roads.
Friday 29th October 1915: Rose at 9.30. Fine day. Firing 40 lb shell by aeroplane observation. Went bricking to Elverdinghe 12 – 2 am.
Saturday 30th October 1915: Rose at 9.30. Fine day. Aeroplanes up again & fighting enemy planes. Fine sight. 2 “Archies” in action at billet.
Wagon Lines (1st) Poperinghe
Sunday 31st October 1915: Rose at 9.30! Potato digging. Fine day, indeed, the last fine day for some time to come. Aeroplane battles.
