– fine
Up at 5 am. Breakfast prepared by Sister Gerard at 6 am. Said goodbye to Sister who burst into tears. She was amiable, generous & kindhearted. We leave Orpington Stn. at 7.50 am for London. Go to Tower of London to assemble. There are parties from Bearwood, Epsom, etc. Take train for Tilbury Docks at [Mark Lane!]. Board transport (ambulances) at No. 64 at 1 pm. Move down Thames & anchor till morning. S.S. Kyber Pass.
*SS Khyber was a 9,000 ton ship operated by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O Line).
Saturday 21 September 1918
– cloudy & windy
To station at Orpington. No kitbag has arrived but ask L/C i/c of transport who looks at his book & sees entry of my name in it. I go to Quartermasters store & after diligent search I find missing kitbag. Unbounded Joy! I go to Post Office & send telegram to Harry & afterwards a letter. In afternoon to St. Mary Cray with Nield. Call at Pipe family & get invitation for tea tomorrow.
Friday 20 September 1918
– fine, rain showers
Left Orpington for London to enquire re kitbag. Have no pass. To Euston Stn., Willesden Junction Stn. no result.. Go to Cannon St. Stn. (LB&SC Ry) thence to St. Paul’s Stn. (near St. Paul’s Cathedral) lost property office. They refer me to Holborn Stn. (Chatham & Devon line). No result. Onto Charing Cross, same result. Had dinner at [Bea…] Hut, Charing Cross. Take train for Orpington at Charing + 2.55. Arr. 4 pm. Am not missed at hospital. Feeling very tired & have headache. I wire Harry.
Thursday 19 September 1918
– rain heavy
No news re kit bag.
I go to Rly. Stn. & telegraph to Harry re kitbag. Also to Orpington & telegraph to Mrs. Simcock 53 Orleans Rd. Stoneycroft re kitbag & Harry @ Parkgate. Have a tea in town. Call @ Pipes Bros. who give me invitation to tea this afternoon @ 4 pm.
Saturday 14 September 1918
– rain
Rumour has it that we go away on Wednesday next straight to the boat. I go into Orpington & send telegram for my belongings, photos, etc. Also send Harry 10/- by wire. Writing letters all day to all & sundry. To Orpington in evening & meet Nield.
Monrufret returns from leave: his name omitted from boat list.
Yanks capture St. Mihiel & 13,000 prisoners.
*In this WWI cemetery, the graves of 4153 American soldiers who died in the 1918 Battle of St-Mihiel radiate towards a central sundial topped by a white American eagle.
Friday 13 September 1918
– fine
Up @ 8.30 am. Say farewell goodbyes. Draw £10 out of bank.
Harry sees me off on the 2 pm train for London. Dear little girlie cries her eyes out when seeing me off from the house. Arr London 6.45 take tube to London Bridge. Entrain @ 7.50 for Orpington. Arr 8.30 pm.
Tuesday 3 September 1918
Up at 5.30 am. Sister Gerard prepares breakfast for Nield, Lovejoy & myself. We leave Orpington at 7.15 and arr. Charing Cross 8.15. Leave St. Pancras at 8.50 arr Leicester 11.10 am. Call at Aunt’’ s. Have dinner. Go to see Ada Southern @ 3.30 pm. We go for walk to Belgrave, Birstall & Wanlip & return at 9.30 to Post Office where she works nights. Visit cousins who work all night on floral decorations for Sir Herbert Marshall. I sleep @ Aunt’’ s 2 College St.
*Sir Herbert Marshall served as Mayor of Leicester in 1896. He died on August 31, 1918. The cousins were likely preparing floral decorations for his funeral. (http://www.leicester.gov.uk/about-leicester/lordmayorcivic/roll-of-mayors/1800-1899-roll-of-mayors/1890-1899-mayors/1896-joseph-herbert-marshall/)
Monday 2 September 1918
To Opington & bought a pair of brown dress shoes price £2.
M/Sgt. Chamberlain & I have chat till 12 pm.
Saturday 24 August 1918
Monufret and I go to St. Pauls & Mary Cray. Visit an old water mill at Orpington worked by Mr. Hodsoll. Very old but interesting machinery.
Thursday 22 August 1918
To Orpington.
[Vedrian] still alive & doing intelligence work for France. He takes French spies over to Germany, drops them & calls back for them later. He has Legion of Honor, etc. etc.
