Poperinghe shelled heavily. Reported missing yesterday. 8 men from Rgt join my staff as observers. I have to instruct them in field sketching and observing. L/c Driscoll F. is sent back to Rgt as he became lazy & stubborn.
Monday 28 August 1916
Bombs dropped last night on Poperinghe. I make large panorama of Ypres Salient – the general desires one & the other to be retained at the Ramparts (this later fell into hands of Australians).
Monday 14 August 1916
Leave Boulogne @ 4:40 am, arr Hazebrouck (after changing @ St. Omer) at 11. Arr Poperinghe @ 12:10 noon. To “a” camp only to find it empty. To brigade transport & report to Captain Temlin.
I got to Ypres @ night arr @ 7:30 PM. Great reception. Capt MacDonell has a boil on his left knee, incapacitated. My box of cyan arrives from L’Pool.
Saturday 5 August 1916
Leave Poperinghe at 6:18 am, arrive @ Boulogne 1:30. Boat (Victoria) does not leave until 4 PM. Go into Boulogne & have dinner. Back to boat and arrive at Folkestone 5:45.
Train for London leaves @ 6 PM arrive London @ 8:10 PM. Catch train for Stafford @ 8:50, arr Stafford @ 12 midnight.
Tuesday 11 July 1916 – fine
Very busy making map for General MacDonnel. Enemy send shells into Poperinghe 11 miles away.
Monday 10 July 1916
I say good day to Tom Draycot as he goes to trenches.
Enemy shell Poperinghe also drop bombs around our camp.
Thursday 6 July 1916 – fair
At 12 noon today I have a surprise. Tom Draycot of Edmonton comes to see me, we have a chat together. He is in 49th, formerly 66.
To Poperinghe with Pt. Jacques the General’s orderly. Purchase lace (hand made)
Monday 29 May 1916 – fine
An enemy & one of our own aeroplanes are brought down by shell fire.
Enemy lets loose with big shells on Poperinghe & Ypres 30 shells on Poperinghe, & only 5 burst killing 3 men.
Much aeroplane activity. Our [Ho?] fire shells with 10.5 & 5.9 HE [high explosive] and Shnl [schrapnel?] The enemy using Russian Shells.
Pvt. Harrison & I go thro’ Cloth Hall & Cathedral at Ypres.
Tuesday 16 May 1916
Our machine guns & anti-aircraft guns ward off enemy aeroplanes that had dropped bombs on Poperinghe. One of our machines is sent down with pilot killed & observer wounded or vice versa.
Wallach visits me.
Thursday 4 May 1916
Hun airmen drop messages into Poperhinghe to the effect that he will drive out British from Ypres Salient before 9th.
