Walter Draycott’s Great War Chronicle

North Vancouver Museum & Archives

logo-monova
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Timelines
      • Graphic Timeline 1914
      • Graphic Timeline 1915
      • Graphic Timeline 1916
    • The War Years
      • Sore feet and Sore Hearts: Walter Draycott’s 1914
      • Your King and Country Needs You? Walter Draycott’s 1915
      • Narrowly Escaping Extinction: Walter Draycott’s 1916
      • Running the Gauntlet: Walter Draycott’s 1917
      • Finally Home: Walter Draycott’s 1918
    • Life of Walter Draycott
  • DIARIES
    • 1914 Entries
    • 1915 Entries
    • 1916 Entries
    • 1917 Entries
    • 1918 Entries
  • MAPS & DRAWINGS
  • ALBUMS
    • Diary Entries
      • Diary Entries 1914
      • Diary Entries 1915
      • Diary Entries 1916
      • Diary Entries 1917
      • Diary Entries 1918
    • Walter Draycott’s World in 1914
    • Walter Draycott’s World in 1915
    • Walter Draycott’s World in 1916
    • Walter Draycott’s World in 1917
    • Faces of Draycott
    • North Vancouver in Uniform
  • COMMENTS
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  • Featured
You are here: Home / Archives for Diary Entries / 1916

Tuesday 26 September 1916

September 26, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Hot & dry. Absolutely as busy as can be – flying thro’ space! Our troops making great advance capture Combles & Morval. Many Prisoners. Orders to leave tomorrow to Vadencourt. I make my maps, etc. in school room at Bonneville.


*Battle of Morval, Sept. 25th to 28th, 1916 – This battle was a collective attack by French, English, Canadian and Indian troops to drive the Germans out of Combles, Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs. In attacks starting on the 25th, the French troops suffered heavy bombardments but British Empire troops were quickly able to gain ground against the Germans. Rainy conditions made fighting difficult for both sides. The Germans were able to stabilize their position eventually, but lost a substantial amount of ground in the battle.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Battle of Morval, Vadencourt

Monday 25 September 1916

September 25, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Hot & Dry. Up @ 8 & at work @ 9 am at the Town Major’s office. Staff Capt Colman calls to see if I am ok. The Brigade is stationed at Bonneville 8 Kilo’s away, the RCR are stationed here.
We leave Canaples @ 1:30 & arr. Bde at 2:30 PM just in time for conference with three Generals, many colonels and staff captains. Had tea & biscuits @ officer’s mess. Generals order much work of secret nature to be done.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Sunday 24 September 1916

September 24, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Up @ 5:30 am. Leave for Canaples via Flesselles. Arr at Canaples & work on map at Town Major’s office. Sleep there at Night. Could not get the civilians to make us any tea or coffee, nor anything to eat, as the Australians had played the devil with the town & inhabitants.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Australians, Canaples, Flesselles

Saturday 23 September 1916

September 23, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Brigade left Albert for Warloy. I am left behind, as usual to make maps. Follow up and reach Warloy at 6 PM.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Warloy

Friday 22 September 1916

September 22, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Very busy with maps

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Thursday 21 September 1916

September 21, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

—no entry

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Wednesday 20 September 1916

September 20, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Enemy shell Albert with H.E. shells. One bursts over the house occupied by orderly room. The pieces of the base when picked up were quite hot.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Tuesday 19 September 1916

September 19, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Our troops brought into Albert. Sorry sight. I go to Pozieres for intelligence news, then to Maneby Wood Contal Maison & District. Enemy heavily shell Pozieres & vicinity which keeps me busy dodging them. Piece cuts my leg. I arrive safely at headquarters in evening.


*Albert- A key location during the battle of the Somme as it was only 3 miles from the front. The town was heavily shelled by the Germans during this time. A statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus sat on the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Brebieres in Albert and after being struck by a shell the statue slumped into a horizontal position. British troops said that whatever side made the statue fall would lose the war though German troops claimed the opposite. Albert was captured by the Germans in 1918 but was eventually taken back by the British, the statue fell that same year after the Basilica was struck by British Artillery.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Battle of the Somme, British Artillery, Germans, Pozieres

Monday 18 September 1916

September 18, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Troops stay out in open all night during a drenching storm after coming out of trenches & affirming a victory. “Rotten staff work” as one officer remarked. True Indeed!

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Sunday 17 September 1916

September 17, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Battn Relieved at 6 am by 52nd of 9th Brigade & March to Tara Hill the Hdqrs of 2nd Div
Casualties Officers O.R.
Killed 3 55
Wounded 7 207
Missing – 31
10 293
Total 303

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • …
  • 36
  • Next Page »
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
April 2026
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Nov    

Archives

Funders

cityNorthVan2 districtNV YoungCanadaWorks

READ TODAY'S

DIARY ENTRY

VIEW

This site is best viewed with the most recent version of all major web browsers.

Privacy Policy

To view our Privacy Policy, click here.

Search This Website

Search "mp3" to find all voiced diary entries

Support this project

DONATE TODAY

Contact Us

MONOVA: Museum and Archives
of North Vancouver
3203 Institute Rd.,
North Vancouver, BC V7K 3E5
Tel. 604-990-3700, ext. 8016.
www.monova.ca
archives@monova.ca

© Copyright 2026 - Draycott's Great War Chronicle · All Rights Reserved ·