Walter Draycott’s Great War Chronicle

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Sunday 3 January 1915 – Rain

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Company (and Battalion) falls in and goes south to dig trenches from 7:30 till 12:30 noon
“On the 7th day is the Sabbath etc:”
Today all thro’out Great Britain it is intercession day. I receive three letters
One from Ernest one from Harry and one from Sylvia V. Warner of Winchester thanking me for badge etc; My boots are worn out and toes nearly thro’ – wet feet all the time. Raining all night “wet comfort”.
An order to stand to arms is given. Heavy Bombarding

* Intercession Day – A National day of prayer organized by churches across the British Empire. On this day people were to join together and pray for British Soldiers and the war effort.

*Stand to Arms – When Stand to Arms was called soldiers would be expected to enter the trench with their rifle’s loaded and bayonet fixed so that they would be ready for an enemy attack.

 

Saturday 2 January 1915 – Rain

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Another wet miserable day with high wind. Major Gault arrives back from the trenches. He says the men are being pulled out of the muddy trenches, being unable to get out themselves, legs swollen with rheumatics. Men in trenches standing on their fallen dead comrades to avoid standing in the water which is thigh deep (your King and Country needs you?)
The Companies go out and dig more trenches in the rain and biting winds.
Our men have been paid and the usual drinking crimes are the result.

Friday 1 January 1915 – Rain

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We receive orders to Parade outside the village of Blaringhem (Nord Department) at 12:35 pm for inspection by General Sir John French. We line up at our “hovel” at 12:35 pm (noon) and march 5 miles in full marching order to the parade ground (a sloppy field). We stand here for over an hour in the cold wind and rain when finally General French appears with his staff, arriving in Landau (automobile). He inspects our Brigade consisting of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, 4th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles, Shropshire Light Infantry and Rifle Brigade. Before dismissing us he (General French) says a few words to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry “Proud to have us in his command”. Knew we would acquit ourselves” etc; Arrived back at the “Hovel” at 5:30 pm in a drenching downpour. I am for guard duty again (twice in a week) and mount at 6 pm. My turns are from 8 to 10 pm and 2 till 4 am and 8 – 10 am and 2 to 4 pm. A wet cold miserable night with a high wind. I guard the Ammunition and horses of which (the latter) there are about 30 or 40. I find time passes quickly when looking after the poor beasts and adjusting their blankets. I am like the horses – without shelter. There was no bombardment last night.

*John French – A veteran officer from the Boer War, he was given Command of the British Expeditionary Force during the opening months of WWI. He clashed with those around him, first disagreeing with Lord Kitchener on a location for the deployment of British troops. With few successes in the early part of the war French’s leadership was criticized and he was relieved from the position in December of 1915.

Thursday 31 December 1914 – Showers

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A cold windy & wet morning & we march again in full marching order to a place 6 miles away to dig trenches. It rains & we get wet thro’. The trenches are half full of water. We arrive back at 6 pm feeling absolutely all in. Sore feet sore head & sore hearts. We parade at 7:15 & after waiting an hour we receive 25 francs from the Paymaster, my first pay in the Regiment. Heavy bombarding during the night.

*All in – An Idiom for feeling exhausted

Wednesday 30 December 1914 – rain

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A wet & miserable cold day. The company goes 6 miles away to dig trenches to safeguard the road to Calais, agony of agonies with being wet, cold & suffering from cramped sore & wet feet – English fashion boots. At night we get an issue of rum about 2 ounces. Very cold at night sleeping in an open wagon. A man of the Essex Regiment shot for desertion & insolence (a few days ago). There is now a man waiting under death sentence to be shot for insolence & drunkenness.

*Calais – Calais was a town very close to the front line in Flanders during WWI. It was a key port for arms and reinforcement on the western front during the war.

Tuesday 29 December 1914

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Storm abated. I come off “sentry go” at 1 pm. Company returns from digging trenches at 2:30 pm. I appear before Major MacInnery to answer why I went on Maxim gun instruction class without orders. I get severely reprimanded for doing a good service to the Regiment. I cannot give any defence on account of the usual underdog policy – etc; I interview the Officer of the Maxim Gun Party. Back to my open wagon bed at 7:30 pm. A bitterly cold windy night & I sleep but little. Heavy bombarding during the night. Mail comes in but none for me. Cannot keep feet warm – always in the cold mud. Many men report to the medical officer for treatment for Rhumatism, colds etc; get little sympathy from that gentleman.

*Maxim gun- A machine gun invented by Sir Hiram Maxim. Notable for being the first recoil operated firing system ever invented. The energy of the recoil was used to eject the spent shell, and pull a new bullet into position. The single barrel had to be water cooled. By the start of WWI the Maxim machine gun had been redesigned and there were many newer and enhanced models available

Monday 28 December 1914

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On Monday 28th we got our plum pudding

Up at 7 am & went to vicinity of the town of Aire with the transport wagons for supplies. Back to Port Autin at 1 pm. Mounted Guard at 2:45 pm. Weather very wet & miserable. Am on guard at 11 pm to 1 am. It is blowing a very high gale with occassional heavy showers of hail & rain accompanied by Thunder & Lightning. Lieut. Sullivan returns to his Billet at 12:45 pm. The Regiment go out at 11 am (Monday) to dig trenches about 7 miles away they return at midnight “all in”.

Sunday 27 December 1914 – rain

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Up at 7 am & breakfast 7:30 am. Parade at 8:45 am in full marching order. We go to Linde & dig trenches – in the rain
Get wet thro’ & return home at 1 pm
Receive mail from Ernest Draycot, Draycots of Blackpool, Hollinghursts
receive tobacco & pipe from Princess Mary also a scarf & mittens from the [Mater] at Gosport.
I send postcard to Ernest at Gosport.
In evening I go to the Chateau at Blaringham and (on Saturday) to the Roman Catholic Church which is very pretty inside. Abundance of crosses in Church and 4 lots of Effigies of Saints in the church with the offertory boxes at their feet. Some fine & delicate wood carving.

Friday Xmas Day 25 December 1914

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Bombardment ceased. English have taken Lille. Inch of ice on pond on farm yard. Our Christmas breakfast consists of Bully Beef & biscuits & tea.
I received greeting from King George & Queen Mary with photos (of them both).
In afternoon at 2 pm I go to the 4th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle camp. I have the privilege of being introduced to the Staff Officers & Major Hereward Wake & Colonel Oxley of the Kings Royal Rifles are among them. I shake hands with all the officers & have a good time all round. Have dinner at the Officers’ Mess & tea at the Head Quarters Cook House. I leave at 5 pm for the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry camp loaded with meat biscuits (Peak Freans) & other delicacies. There are several crucifixes & shrines at the village of Blaringhem.
The Canadians have only had Bully beef & biscuits all day & a little bacon at night. No bread of course.
Very light bombarding on the front but the KRR & Ghurkas lost a lot of men in trench taking.

*KRR-Kings Royal Rifles
**Ghurkas – Nepalese military units within the British Indian Army. 200,000 Gurkhas served in the British army over WWI and the Ghurkas fought in a wide variety of countries and battles during the war

Funders
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