Walter Draycott’s Great War Chronicle

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You are here: Home / Archives for mp3

Sunday 25 August 1918

August 25, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Sunday_August_25_1918.mp3

–– rain

Since July 18 Hun prisoners 100,000 . We capture 15 villages in a week.

Stayed in hospital all day.

Wet.

Miss Cavell, cousin of Nurse Cavell, calls & distributes flowers. We have a very interesting chat. If Nurse Cavell was like her cousin, she must have been an angel.

*Edith Cavell was a British nurse during the First World War. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without distinction. Born in England, Nurse Cavell moved to Belgium where she was appointed matron of the Berkendael Medical Institute in Brussels in 1907. With war in 1914 and the subsequent German occupation of Belgium Cavell joined the Red Cross; the Berkendael Institute was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers of all nationalities.Many of the captured Allied soldiers who were treated at Berkendael subsequently succeeded in escaping – with Cavell’s active assistance – to neutral Holland. In 1915, she was arrested for helping 200 allied soldiers escape from German occupied Belgium. She was subsequently court-martialled, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage. (https://www.cavellnursestrust.org/edith-cavell)

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: Hun, mp3, Nurse Cavell

Tuesday 20 August 1918

August 20, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Tuesday_August_20_1918.mp3

– fine and hot

Left Orpington at 9.30 for Windsor Castle. Caught 10.20 train. Had dinner at YMCA near Paddington Stn. Left London for Windsor by Paddington Stn. At 1.15 arr Windsor 2.15 pm.

Conducted to Castle, given admission ticket. Went thro’ St. Georges Chapel viewing most magnificent tracery, sculpture, etc. To tea at 3 pm in Crypt near Kings Apartments. On the walls are many cases of valuable relics. Arms, swords, pistols, etc. Princess Alice dau. of Duke Albany chats with me & pours tea. Princess Mary gives me entrance card to see King & Queen. March slowly past King & Queen in Royal Banqueting Hall where King George & Queen Mary stand midway in Hall. I salute & Queen Mary says “Princess Pats”! I reply Yes “Your Majesty”. We file into the reception rooms, the Garter room, Royal Writing Room called Rubens room from the paintings on the wall all (except one) by Rubens. To King Charles I dining room & other rooms where priceless treasures are kept. Rapiers, swords studded with diamonds, etc. To Royal Stables & News. Leave Windsor @ 5 pm & arr. Orpington 9 pm.

*Among the items of interest Draycott noted in his “Recollections” was a “great bear shot in British Columbia by the late King Edward VII when Prince of Wales.”

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: Duke Albany, King George, mp3, Princess Mary, Queen Mary, Windsor Castle

Thursday 15 August 1918

August 15, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Thursday_August_15_1918.mp3

–– hot

In afternoon to Women’’ s Forestry Corps who are working at the woods Chislehurst. Their tools are in a very bad state & it seems they have been supplied with 3rd rate material. Nevertheless doing very good work.

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: chiselhurst, mp3, Women Forestry Corps

Tuesday 13 August 1918

August 13, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Tuesday_August_13_1918.mp3

–– hot

The Matron says that during latest push we have taken 700 guns and 40,000 prisoners & a 5 engined bombing machine of the Huns dropped behind our lines on Somme.

7 dead Huns in it.

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: Huns, mp3, prisoners

Friday 9 August 1918

August 9, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Friday_August_9_1918.mp3

Nield & I go to Bromley & make a tour of bookshops. I purchase a Materia Medica & other books.

The British, Canadians, Australians & French have within last 3 days captured 40,000 prisoners & over 300 guns on the Amiens front.

*Materia medica (English: medical material/substance) is a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing (i.e., medicines). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materia_medica)

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: Amiens, mp3, prisoners

Tuesday 16 July 1918

July 16, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Tuesday_July_16_1918.mp3

47 men leave Base Depot for discharge to Canada.  Capt. Simpson sends for me to take over the Tobacco business of the Camp.  He states that I have to have “another Allocation Board” next Monday.  This will make 5 boards in 1 month & nothing definite re my return to Canada.  I refuse his offer and await result of Medical Authorities.  I see Adjutant Green re my Sergeancy.  He says put them up, but not on that authority.  How much more damned fooling around?

*One of the most successful and enduring fund-raising efforts of the war were the ‘Smokes for the Troops’ funds. On 29th October 1914, The Times announced to its readers that at Lord Kitchener’s request a Smokes for Soldiers and Sailors Fund had been formed “to provide our wounded…with tobacco and cigarettes in hospitals here and at the front…and is at the moment sending regular supplies to over 200 hospitals and convalescent homes.” Those who were serving at the front were not forgotten either.

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: mp3, smokes for soldiers and sailors fund

Monday 15 July 1918

July 15, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Monday_July_15_1918.mp3

Passed my last Medical Board and result is – to be sent to Bearwood Convalescent Hospt. near Reading for observation and disposal.

Sent letter to Erlysman Pinckney Esq. of Highbury Warminister Co. Wilts.  Also one from Dr. Norman McLeod Miller of Stafford.  He’s classed C II.  Press Representation visit & inspect dummy draft for France of CFC at the Base Depot here.  (30 motor cars, use of petrol, etc.)  An aeroplane alights on the parade ground & stays an hour.  Off again toward London.

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: Bearwood Convalescent Hospital, Dr. Norman McLeod Miller, Erlysman Pinckney, mp3

Saturday 13 July 1918

July 13, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Saturday_July_13_1918.mp3

To Windsor by bike.  It is Eton cricket day there and many of the aristocracy are down with their boys.  Town is full of cabs.  What an awful ill fitting habit they wear.  Time they found a new style. Tall youth with low shoes light blue socks which were exposed to view of about 6 to 8 inches.  Tall hat which came over ears.  Awful spectacle.

On to Egham & Staines by road along Thames.

*In its heyday, in the late 19th century and early 20th century, “the School’s day” was one of the highlights of the London “season“, alongside Henley Royal Regatta and Royal Ascot. The number of spectators necessitated the first introduction of viewing stands and a boundary rope at Lord’s in 1866. The game made national newspaper headlines, and was attended by schoolboys large and small, their elder brothers and fathers, accompanied by their ladies and other members of London society. The match in 1914 was attended by over 38,000 people during its two days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eton_v_Harrow

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: mp3, School Day

Friday 12 July 1918

July 12, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Friday_July_12_1918.mp3

Writing letter for the umteenth time stating the fluctuations of this badly managed influence poluted army of Canadian wire pullers.

Long service in France does not count.  Every man counts one (1) no matter whether conscientious objector or not or whether he has [for] for years in France, etc.

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: mp3

Thursday 11 July 1918

July 11, 2018 by Sarah McLennan

https://monova.ca/greatwarchronicles/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Thursday_July_11_1918.mp3

Tables turned again.  Sent for to see Med. Officer who states “We will have to send you to Hospital in order to ascertain the cause of your disease”.  This means more waste of time.  Spirits are now down to zero as there seems to be nothing but bubbles and froth in this cursed army.  No use trying to make assurances & arrangements.

(Major McCudden, VC, airman, killed, 52 Huns downed by him)

*James Thomas Byford McCudden VC, DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, MM (28 March 1895 – 9 July 1918) was an English flying ace of the First World War and among the most highly decorated airmen in British military history.  At his death he had achieved 57 aerial victories, placing him seventh on the list of the war’s most successful aces. On 9 July 1918 McCudden was killed in a flying accident when his aircraft crashed following an engine fault. His rank at the time of his death was major, a significant achievement for a man who had begun his career in the RFC as an air mechanic.

Filed Under: 1918, Diary Entries Tagged With: James Thomas Byford McCudden, mp3

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