Alfred George Richardson’s Diary July 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.
Au Grand Bois d’ Estaires – Caestre – Watou.
BELGIUM.
Thursday 1st July 1915: Went to H.Q. for forage & rations. Packing up all day. Moved off 8.15 pm. with A.S.C. wagons & cooks’. Staff 4th Section set off at 9. Passed through Neuve Berquin, Vieux Berquin, Strazeele & arrived Caestre 11.45 pm. & found billets & watering place.
Friday 2nd July 1915: Got up 6.45 am. Went for forage & rations at 8 am. 3 miles away. Came back in motor. Left Caestre at 8 pm. via, Steenvoorde & arrived 1 mile from Watou at 12 pm. On Guard.
Saturday 3rd July 1915: Awake all night. Drew rations & forage at 8 am. Went, for first time, into Belgium, 3 Kilos past Watou. Asleep all aft. Shifted position 1 Kilo away (nearer Winnezeele. Slept in the open. Saw Reg Rhodes in Belgium.
Watou – Poperinghe.
Sunday 4th July 1915: Reveille 7. Went for forage at 8 to 3 Kilos past Watou in Belgium. Saw Arthur Bilbro’. Church Parade at 12. Visited Arnold.
Monday 5th July 1915: Went to Watou for forage & rations at 8 am. Back at 11. Parcel from home.
Tuesday 6th July 1915: Went to Watou for forage & rations at 8 am. Back at 11 am. 2 spies attack Holmes on guard & steal his rifle. Alarm in Camp.
Wednesday 7th July 1915: Went to Watou for forage & rations at 8 am. Back at 11. On Guard at night. 12 extra on Guard. Sharp look out kept. Nothing doing.
Thursday 8th July 1915: Went to Watou for forage at 7. Back at 11. Left Winnezeele at 6.30 pm. & went via Poperinghe to camp near Woesten. Arrived there 11.30 pm. 4th Sect arrived 3.30 am. Bed at 3.45 am. A*** at 4.45 am.
Friday 9th July 1915: Went to Watou for rations. Set off at 5.30 am & arrived there 8.45 am. Left 11.30 am & arrived Peselhoek [Pezelhoek] (A.S.C. H.Q.) at 2.30 pm. Left 5.30 pm & arrived “home” 7 pm. Had tea & went to bed, requiring a well earned rest.
Saturday 10th July 1915: Reveille 6 am. Went to Peselhoek for rations at 7.30 am. 3 shells drop near at 7.10 am. 44 shells burst ½ mile away in late afternoon.
Sunday 11th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for rations at 7.15 am. Back at 11. Stables at 12. H.Q. in afternoon. Moved position to another field ½ mile away.
Monday 12th July 1915: Went to Pezelhoek for rations at 7.15 am. Back at 11. Stables 12. Afternoon holiday.
Tuesday 13th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek [Pezelhoek] for rations & forage at 7.30. Back at 11. Went for letters in afternoon. Terrific attack by Germans at Ypres. (Took 400 shells).
Wednesday 14th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for rations. Moved position to a place 1 mile from Poperinghe: (near Peselhoek). Left 8.30 pm. & arrived 11.30 pm. Raining hard. Wet through. Terrible.
Thursday 15th July 1915: Rose at 5 am. Wet through. Went to Pezelhoek for forage & rations at 8 am. Back at 11. Filled nosebags. Wrote letter home.
Friday 16th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek [Pezelhoek] for forage & rations. Filled nosebags all day long. Went to H.Q. for stores.
Saturday 17th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for forage & rations at 7 am. Back at 9.30. Afternoon holiday.
13th N.B. There was a terrific bombardment of German heavy artillery on Tues night for 5 hrs. Poperinghe was also bombarded almost each day with “Jack Johnsons” Tues we took up 400 rds.
Sunday 18th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for forage & rations. Tobacco & cigs issued. Afternoon holiday, spent writing.
Monday 19th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for forage & rations. Back at 9.30. Received large pcl from home & letter. On Guard at night. Turner fired a shot. Guard turned out.
Tuesday 20th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for forage & rations. Moved position once again; this time into a wood 2 miles from Poperinghe. Rumours about leave.
Wednesday 21st July 1915: Went for forage & rations to Peselhoek at 7. Back at 9.30 am. Filled nosebags. Cpl Wilf Dawson came over tovisit me. Champion aft spent.
Thursday 22nd July 1915: Went for forage & rations at 7. Filled nosebags. Wet day. Letter & blanket from home.
Friday 23rd July 1915: Went for forage & rations at 7 am. Put up 50 tents for Kitchener’s Army in wood & painted them. No breakfast, no dinner, no tea.
Saturday 24th July 1915: Went for forage & rations at 7 am. Received blanket from home. Cpl Clarkson goes on leave.
Sunday 25th July 1915: Went for rations & forage at 7. Raining. Aft sleeping writing & reading.
Monday 26th July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for rations. Received pcl. Free Press & letters from home. On Guard at H.Q.
Tuesday 27th July 1915: Went for forage & rations at 7. Received parcel from Miss Whitaker. Out exercising at night on a mule.
Wednesday 28th July 1915: Went for forage & rations at 7 am. Raining. Went to interpreter at farm house with Jack & Luke R. Went for letters at 12 noon. Afternoon holiday. Wrote letters.
Thursday 29th July 1915: Went for forage & rations at 7 to Peselhoek. German aeroplane over us. Shrapnel drops in our camp. Out with wagons at night.
Friday 30th July 1915: Went for forage & rations to Peselhoek at 7. 16 Jack Johnsons fired at Poperinghe. Saw one burst. 3 ***. Afternoon holiday.
Saturday 31st July 1915: Went to Peselhoek for rations at 7. Cpl Clarkson comes back from home leave. Brings a letter for me. Afternoon holiday. Writing letters & reading. 2 Taubes over us. Heavily shelled.