Alfred George Richardson’s Diary Oct 1915

 

1915 diary shows Bombardier Gunner (Signalling Dept) A. G. Richardson 4^th Section, West Riding Divisional Ammunition Column R.F.A., Norfolk Barracks Sheffield.

Home Address:- Station House, Ben Rhydding near Leeds. Yorks.

 

Poperinghe.

Friday 1^st October 1915:         Went for rations at 9.15.  Cold wind.  Bad headache.  Stomach upset.  Afternoon at the latrines & in the bivouac.

Saturday 2^nd October 1915:    Went for rations at 9.15.  In bed with chill.  Shivering all over.  Bed all day.  Feeling rotten at night.

Sunday 3^rd October 1915:       Still rotten.  Rations 9.15.  Back at noon.  Afternoon holiday.  Cold day. Reading & writing.

Monday 4^th October 1915:      Went for rations 9.15.  Back at noon.  Helping to put up stables in aft.  Poperinghe bombarded.  41 shells.

Tuesday 5^th 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 6^th 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 7^th 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 8^th 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 9^th October 1915:     Went for rations 8.30.  Back 11 am.  Made some jelly & custard.  Afternoon – playing football.

Poperinghe & Brielen.

Sunday 10^th October 1915:     Went for rations 8.30.  Afternoon holiday.  Fine & warm.  Football H.Q. guard – 15 Shells into “Pop”.

Monday 11^th October 1915:    Rations 8.30.  Back at 11.  Won 3 1^st prizes with mules, N.C.O’s mount & harness.  Out at Pop. For P.H.W.

Tuesday 12^th October 1915:    Went for rations at 8.30.  Back at 11.  Afternoon holiday.  Football & writing letters.  Evening we had a sing-song.

Wednesday 13^th October 1915: Went for rations 8.30.  Back at 11.  Helping T.O.B. with Stabling.  Afternoon holiday.  Played football.

Thursday 14^th October 1915:  Rations 8.30.  Back at 11.  Stabling with Butler.  On H.Q. guard.  Not a wink of sleep.

Friday 15^th 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 16^th 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 17^th October 1915:     Got up 9.30.  Went potato digging with Butler.  Gun laying & drill.  Out at night with Arnold.

Monday 18^th October 1915:    Got up 9.30.  Gun laying practice.  German planes give battle to some of ours.

Tuesday 19^th 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 20^th 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 21^st October 1915:  Rose at 5.30. & went with Horace Tennant down to O.P. & beyond.  Heavy artillery fired on both sides.  11^th Battery in action.  Tenant & I between 2 fires.  30 shells near us.

Friday 22^nd 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 23^rd 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 24^th October 1915:     Got up 9.30.  My 19^th Birthday.  Had a lovely tea with Arnold & Sergt Gee.  Beautiful cake from home.  Grand day.

Monday 25^th October 1915:    Got up 9.30.  Terribly wet, 1^st wet day for weeks.  Stayed in dug-out writing letters & playing games.            Gramophone on.

Tuesday 26^th October 1915:    Rose at 9.30.  Potato digging.  Wet day.  Amused ourselves all day with gramophone, letter writing &           reading.

Wednesday 27^th October 1915: Rose at 9.30.              Went to billets for meals.  In Brielen with Arnold shopping.  Fine day.  Many aeroplane fights.  Very thrilling.

Thursday 28^th October 1915:  Rose at 9.30.  “D” gun firing 40 lb shells.  Quite a success.  Firing at German transports at Pilkem Cross Roads.

Friday 29^th October 1915:       Rose at 9.30.  Fine day.  Firing 40 lb shell by aeroplane observation.  Went bricking to Elverdinghe 12 – 2 am.

Saturday 30^th October 1915:   Rose at 9.30.  Fine day.  Aeroplanes up again & fighting enemy planes.  Fine sight.  2 “Archies” in action at billet.

Wagon Lines (1^st) Poperinghe

Sunday 31^st October 1915:     Rose at 9.30!  Potato digging.  Fine day, indeed, the last fine day for some time to come.  Aeroplane battles.