To Olive

MY DIARY

1928

H J Cartwright

Wednesday, 19th April, 1916

The scene of my labours has changed. Peel, Hobson, Carles, Reed and I received our orders on Friday; we are the first officers of the 10th Bedfords1 to proceed to France. We left Folkestone yesterday and after a terrible crossing, during which I was sick, landed at Boulogne, and are now in that great Camp at Etaples. We are temporarily attached to the 35th Division.

Saturday, 22nd April, 1916

I am all alone now, and not feeling very brave at the prospect in front of me. Reed has left to join the 8th Bedfords. Peel, Carles and Hobson have joined the 6th Bedfords, and I am posted to the 7th Bedfords. I hate being here alone; I am not the sort of fellow to make friends with strangers. As my servant I have one Robbins who, strange to say was my Batman at Dovercourt. For the purpose of training I have the men of the Durham Light Infantry under my command. I took them on the miniature rifle range one day, and yesterday I spent out on the training ground with all the other officers here. We go through all the O.T.C., training as of old. The training ground is the finest possible, situate at the mouth of the river on the sand dunes, and overlooking Le Touquet, and Paris-Plage. I went today on the tram to Paris-Plage, and had a bain chaud; it is a beautiful watering place.

Sunday, 30th April, 1916

I am now on the verge of the firing line, and for the first time in sound of the guns. At 9.30 last night I left Etaples to join the 7th Bedfords. I shared a first class compartment with one Warley of the Buffs, and I slept all the way to Abbeville, where we had a stay of several hours. I took the opportunity of having a shave and breakfast, and looking round the town. It is a picturesque town with a very fine Cathedral. Getting back to the train we set off again, and at 1.30 arrived at Mericourt, the rail-head. I spent the night at the Rest Camp, and met two officers from the 7th Bedfords going home on leave.