WINTER OPENING
2026/2027
The last Summer opening of The Bay Museum will be on Sunday 27th September 2026. Thereafter the Museum will be open on one Sunday each month until April 2027.
The Sundays the museum will be open will be Sunday 18th October, Sunday 8th November and Sunday 6th December 2026. The opening dates in 2027 will be Sunday 10th January, 7th February and 7th March 2027.
The Museum will reopen on Sunday 4th April 2027 and on each subsequent Sunday until the end of September 2027.
1916
23rd October 1916. Lieut. J. Glasson proceeded to Shab Kadr on duty as Officer Commanding Advanced Base Depot. Returned 30th November.
All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
23 Oct. 1916. sending up working parties while we were “resting.”
These men, after four strenuous days in the trenches, naturally did not put in their best work. It took them two hours to get to their work and the same to get back, probably wet through. Although we were very short of men it was arranged to detail 25 for permanent R.E. fatigue, these men lived with the R.E. & were not available for trench work but the compromise released us from further working parties at night while resting, the R.E. contenting themselves with 25 fresh men instead of calling for 100 who would be waiting for something to do most of the time.
On the opposite page is a Bairnsfather cartoon The Intelligence Department. Underneath is written Typical scene in trenches.
All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
20th Oct. 1916. We went into the trenches on the 20th and found very little progress to had been made by the Warwicks. This was the more surprising since we had been
All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
15th Oct. 1916. Bethune about 3 a.m., the mess cart was waiting & took me to our transport lines where I had breakfast and saw Beale & Williams who were just off on leave. I also heard we were to make a raid.
On the opposite page is a sketch map of the area.
After breakfast I went into the trenches “Rue de Bois left” they were sandbagged parapets, very wet in places and requiring much repair. There was only one practicable communication trench to the front in the sector namely “Pioneer” and the last 800 yds half the body showed over the parapet. The O.B.L. was in a poor state of repair but fairly dry “Richmond” was ditto, “Cover” was very wet and with no shelters for the men. It did not go through to “Shetland.” There was practically no wire in front, the posts 14 to 32 were sandbagged parapets holding half a dozen men by night and observation posts by day. “Shetland” was impassable.
The most pressing work was to improve Pioneer Shetland and Cover and put out wire also to build shelters for Officers & men.
Sniping posts had to be built and a defence system organised.
We were to be four days in the line and four days in support alternating with the 16th Warwicks. I made a point of going round once by day and once by night. It took 3½ hrs. the 2nd in Command & the Adj went round at intermediate times. We had constant visitors in the shape of Gunners, Bde & Divisional Staff, Engineers, and oddments like heavy & light trench mortar, machine gunners & Pioneers, while many reports had to be sent in so life was not dull even tho’ the enemy were quiet.
All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
15th Oct. 1916. Bethune about 3 a.m., the mess cart was waiting & took me to our transport lines where I had breakfast and saw Beale & Williams who were just off on leave. I also heard we were to make a raid.
On the opposite page is a sketch map of the area.
After breakfast I went into the trenches “Rue de Bois left” they were sandbagged parapets, very wet in places and requiring much repair. There was only one practicable communication trench to the front in the sector namely “Pioneer” and the last 800 yds half the body showed over the parapet. The O.B.L. was in a poor state of repair but fairly dry “Richmond” was ditto, “Cover” was very wet and with no shelters for the men. It did not go through to “Shetland.” There was practically no wire in front, the posts 14 to 32 were sandbagged parapets holding half a dozen men by night and observation posts by day. “Shetland” was impassable.
The most pressing work was to improve Pioneer Shetland and Cover and put out wire also to build shelters for Officers & men.
Sniping posts had to be built and a defence system organised.
We were to be four days in the line and four days in support alternating with the 16th Warwicks. I made a point of going round once by day and once by night. It took 3½ hrs. the 2nd in Command & the Adj went round at intermediate times. We had constant visitors in the shape of Gunners, Bde & Divisional Staff, Engineers, and oddments like heavy & light trench mortar, machine gunners & Pioneers, while many reports had to be sent in so life was not dull even tho’ the enemy were quiet.
All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
14th Oct. 1916. The crossing to Boulogne was rough & windy. One of the nurses on board was very ill, “she attempted to feed the fishes to windward.” They missed their meal. On the left side of the next page is written In the railway carriage on the way up from Boulogne was an R.E. Major, in conversation it came out that he was the identical R.E. Officer on Hill 60 whose name I did not know and whom I had only seen in the dark.
I entrained about 9.30 p.m. and reached
France 12th October 1916
Thursday
E.W.S.
My Dear Harry,
I only received your letter dated the 1st yesterday and that is the reason I have delayed writing you. Our inward mails recently are considerably upset.
Well I have been back with the Battery now for over a week after a fine rest which did me a world of good but at the same time I was glad to be back with the crowd.
I hope you both enjoyed Mother’s visit, I am sure she would enjoy being energetic and generally making herself useful. I am sure you must all have had a good time at Malvern. I thought there was a very good road all the way to the Beacon from Malvern but you seem very proud of your feat.
I have had no war news since I have been back with the Battery with the exception of all sorts of rumours to which it is best to pay no attention as some of them are very marvellous. I had though heard of the capture of Combles and Thiepval and hope the same fate will quickly fall to half a line censored. I was very glad to hear from Alan a little while ago after he had “gone over the top” and to know that he had come through safely I don’t think the things he mentioned are such a success.
It is a pity your garden does not admit of a badminton court but in future we must find amusement by boating.
The extra hour during the night was no particular benefit to me as that night I was on guard with the Column but I’m sure at home an extra hour must have been a great boon.
I have just read this letter through & sympathise with you in having to read such a dull attempt at a letter, but when the War is over I will be able to talk to you for months. With love to Ethel.
Yours,
Bernard.
In On Active Service envelope addressed to Harry R King, Esq., Glen Hilda, Park Avenue, Worcester, England.
Ansd 22/10/16
Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE *.**. 16 Oc 16. Hexagonal PASSED FIELD CENSOR 3447. Signed E.W. Stoneham.
PROGRAMME FOR BRIG. GEN R.J. KENTISH, D.S.0.
MORNING. AFTERNOON.
WEDNESDAY. AT FLIXECOURT. Lecture to IV Army School,
“LEADERSHIP”, 5.30 p.m.
THURSDAY. AT FLIXECOURT, Lecture IV Army School 9.30 a.m. AT FLIXECOURT Lecture to IV Army School
‘THE ATTACK ON METEREN OCT 1914 ‘ESPRIT DE CORPS’ 2.30 p.m.
11-12.30 p.m. See the School TO BEADUESNE To see Gen. DAVIDSON
(Ad. Cs. H.Q.) 4 p.m.
12.30 Lunch with Mme SAINT. TO QUERIEUX To see Gen.
(IV Army H.Q.) MONTGOMERY, 6 p.m.
TO AMIENS. To collect kit HOTEL DU
RHIN.
FRIDAY. TO CORBIE SUR SOMME. (6 a.m.)
To find the IV DIVISION and the 87th & 30th. TO AUXI-LE-CHATEAU. To Lecture III Army
School ‘LEADERSHIP’ 5.30 p.m.
TO ABBEVILLE 2 p.m.
SATURDAY. TO AUXI-LE-CHATEAU. 9 a.m. To Lecture III Army TO ENQUIN-LE-MINES. To present decorations
School ‘OPERATIONS ON THE SOMME to and say good-bye to my Brigade. (AUG. 15-20th.) 1 p.m.
TO AUXI-LE-CHATEAU. 10 a.m. To attend Conference AT ESTREE-BLANCHE. All Senior Officers of
Of Instructors in Physical Training & Bayonet Brigade dine with me & attend farewell Concert
Fighting. given by 1/ GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
SUNDAY. TO MONTREUIL. To see GEN. BURNETT-STEWART TO HARDELET To see 1st Army School.
(G.H.Q.) And LIEUT COL VESEY. (by appointment)
MONDAY. TO WAR OFFICE to report to DIRECTOR OF STAFF DUTIES & ALAS’ THE PEN FOR THE SWORD AGAIN.
SIC ITUR AD ASTRA. Or TO HELL (I have forgotten my Latin for this part of the next word).
All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
5th Oct. 1916. Granted leave at 2 a.m. Left siding at 7.30 a.m. and was in London by 9 p.m.
