All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

23/24^th Aug. 1916.   We marched off at 1.15 p.m. to Longpre where we were to entrain at 5 p.m.  The trains were late and we waited weary hours in a field.  The Officers managed to get some food in a semi private house but it was 1.15 a.m. before we actually got away.  We arrived at 5 a.m. and reached a bivouac by 6.  The Bosh were shelling some cross roads about 1000 yards from us.  We moved on about 2 p.m. to another camp.

All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

4^th Aug. 1916.           The Bⁿ moved off at 5 a.m. and marched to Dernacourt where we entrained about midday.  We detrained near Longpre and marched to ….here we stayed the night in a field, the transport arriving in time to get out our valises.

The next day we marched to Tailly, accommodation was skimpy but the situation magnificent, a chateau in large wooded grounds.  There was a small stream flowing through, not deep enough for bathing but by making shallow excavations along the bank and pegging in ground sheets a large number of improvised baths were soon made.  The rest from gun fire, the green grass and shady trees, the twittering of birds made it seem like paradise.  The suspect was at hand. 

On the opposite page is a postcard of Chateau Tailly and a group photograph outside same.

One afternoon a middle-aged rather stout French lady drove up while a boxing competition was being held on the lawn in front of the chateau.  She at once demanded to see me and for what seemed like an hour she overwhelmed me with reproaches and complaints.  I agreed that her remarks were very just but that we had just been fighting rather hard for “La Belle France” and needed some recreation.  I offered her a cup of tea and suggested that afterwards she should view “La Boxe” she agreed after some demur and quite enjoyed herself.  Finally I asked her to present the prizes and when the men gave three cheers for her for doing so she called out in a shrill treble “Vive l’Angleterre” and from that time on we could do no wrong.

On the opposite page is a group photo outside a chateau.  Probably Chateau Tailly.

Still it was not quite the same as it had been before.  We had several boxing competitions and sports, men & officers were granted 48 hrs leave to the sea side in turn there were several sing-songs, the Whiz-bangs gave a performance, there was a Bde horse show with numerous competitions in fact with fine weather throughout we had a most enjoyable time.  Training was steadily continued and a large number of Lewis gunners and Bombers were put through a course, this proved invaluable later.

On the opposite page are two photographs, one of the horse show and the other a group outside chateau Tailly.

All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

3^rd Aug. 1916.           The men all had a bath and change.  Gen Turner, Gen Stephens and Gen Horne all came round with congratulations and praise.  The thunder of the guns continued night & day but we were beyond range of all but the biggest guns.  Transport left by road.

1916

2^nd August 1916.  “A” Company arrived at Gharial Spur from Peshawar.  One officer and 70 other ranks,  “D” Company, took over the duties of the Peshawar Fort.

All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

2^nd Aug. 1916.          We moved back to ……

On the opposite page is a photograph of Lt Col Allason taking the sandbag wall on Angelface at the Bde Horse Show Gen Stevens judging.

1916

1^st August 1916.  “D” Company left Gharial Spur for Peshawar.

All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

1^st Aug. 1916.           In the early morning the Norfolks came to relieve us.  My headquarters had been in the cellar at X, soon after we left a shell set all the woodwork on fire and they had to hurriedly vacate.

We moved back to Pommiers redoubt.  Our casualties were Lts. Marshall and Gossen Killed.  Capt. Nottidge Lts. Mulligan, Jones, Haye, Mattey & Roeber wounded, also 185 other ranks killed & wounded.  That afternoon some casualties occurred from shelling which was most annoying after reaching comparative safety.

1916

6^th May 1916.  Headquarters “C” and “D” Companies proceeded to Gharial Spur, Murree Hills, by route march, from Rawal Pindi.  Arrived 11^th May.

“A” and “B” Companies moved into Roberts Barracks, Peshawar.

The Bay Museum will be shut on Sunday 3^rd May 2026 on account of a lack of curatorial staff.

Bonham says that he put Col Kentish’s tie pin in to a small glass bottle in his dressing case – which contained studs etc.

W.S.L.

11/4/16

Room 51,

Headquarters,

Northern Command,

York.

12^th April, 1916.

My dear R.J.K.

I cannot quite make out yet whether you are a Brigadier General or not, so forgive me if I am addressing this letter wrongly, but think it would be unlucky for you if I were to anticipate things.

As regards your Pin, Bonham says he put it into a small glass bottle in your dressing case, which holds studs etc.  I hope it is there all right.  Let me know if it isn’t.  Thank you very much for your paper re Sniping.  I conclude it came from you.  Also please send me more documents of the kind which you may have.  They are very useful, and we get devilish little out of the War Office.

Yours ever

Lieut Col R.J. Kentish, D.S.O.

c/o General Staff

Headquarters

3^rd Army

France.

I gave the N.C.O’s 50 minutes on morale etc to-night & rubbed it in well.  I will continue.

G.J.S.