Walter Draycott’s Great War Chronicle

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Wednesday 26 April 1916 – splendid day

April 26, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

At work on map sketching in doctor’s apartment & afterwards in officer’s mess.
Pte. Leyman of Fort William comes over from the 8th Battn to see me.
Many bombs are dropped on Poperinghe.
A gas attack on front line.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Fort William, Poperinghe

Tuesday 25 April 1916 – very warm

April 25, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

A party of snipers & machine gun men of ours fire at 5 enemy aeroplanes which come over our camp at 4 am.
Sergt. Forbes of machine gun section gets commission in PPs.
Pte. Elliott is killed & Pte. Wilson, Wilson & Sykes are wounded by shell when at Zillebeke Lake on trench work.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Monday 24 April 1916

April 24, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Early morning 5 bombs dropped by enemy airmen 2 burst over RCR’s camp killing 4, wounding 11.
Our dispatch rider Pte. Stewart meets with bad accident crashes into automobile when cycling smashes base of skull.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Pte. Stewart, RCR camp

Sunday 23 April 1916

April 23, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Score of aeroplane fights.
The 60th Battn. lost 150 casualties in four days.
Church voluntary at YMCA.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: 150 casualties, The 60th Battn

Saturday 22 April 1916 – rain

April 22, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

It rains all day most unmercifully absolute wretchedness prevails. Colonel Buller lines up the troops & praises them for good work done at Hooge & Ypres Salient expect Huns to break thru at St Eloi.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Colonel Buller, Hooge, Huns, Ypres

Friday 21 April 1916 – rain

April 21, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

A day of rest but ‘tis raining hard.

A fierce bombardment rages all night as it rains dreadfully.

Our losses at Hooge are 56 (casualties) 17 killed, 39 wounded (7 old Pats).


*Hooge, Belgium – Is the site of a Chateau that was used as Divisional Headquarters for the Allies at the beginning of WWI. The village changed hands multiple times during the war and was also the site of a huge crater from the detonation of a British mine. Craters were tactically important on flat battlegrounds as they provided cover for troops.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Belgium, Hooge

Thursday 20 April 1916 – rain

April 20, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Battn is relieved by 60th Battn Canadians in pouring rain & well-stirred mud. Plentiful supply of shells are falling. No. 3 & 4 take train outside Ypres for a place between Vlamertinghe & Poperinghe then march to D camp in long rubber boots on a bad road. Arrvd in camp at 5 am & slept till afternoon dog-tired.
Russians capture Trebizond.


*The Trebizond Campaign – After a series of naval and land operations beginning on February 5th 1916 Russian Troops were able to push the Ottomans away from the ancient port city of Trebizond. It was captured on the 15th of April 1916 as Ottoman troops abandoned the city during the night.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: 60th Battn Canadians, Poperinghe, Vlamertinghe, Ypres

Wednesday 19 April 1916 – rain

April 19, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Regimental Sergt. Major S. Godfrey & his servant Pte. Boulter are killed in the RSM dugout, CSM Pritchard is badly wounded. A six inch shell penetrates it and smashes dugout to pieces. Boulter’s head is blown clean off.
The rain causes much misery. The exposures to the elements are very trying. German snipers are very accurate & take toll on our men. Pass an awful night in shell hole.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Pte. Boulter, Sergt. Major S. Godfrey

Tuesday 18 April 1916 – rain

April 18, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Conditions most horrible in the trenches. 48 hours in a shell hole without cover & cannot move around. Our casualties are totalling up & now reach 10 killed.
I go to no man’s land & sketch.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries

Monday 17 April 1916 – rain

April 17, 2016 by Sarah McLennan

Sketching all day.
Vlamertinghe is heavily shelled.
Receive parcel from Kate Draycot. West Hallam.

Filed Under: 1916, Diary Entries Tagged With: Vlamertinghe

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