"Naught broken save this body, lost but breath. Nothing to shake the laughing heart's long peace there, But only agony, and that has ending; And the worst friend and enemy is but Death." William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London 1915 I. WAITING FOR ORDERS, AUGUST 18, 1914, TO SEPTEMBER 14, 1914 The voyage out—Havre—Leaving Havre—R.M.S.P. "Asturias"—St Nazaire—Orders at last. II. LE MANS—WOUNDED FROM THE AISNE—SEPTEMBER 15, 1914, TO OCTOBER 11, 1914 Station duty—On train duty—Orders again—W

August 18, 1914, to September 14, 1914 "Troops to our England true Faring to Flanders, God be with all of you And your commanders." —G.W. Brodribb...

August 18, 1914, to September 14, 1914. The voyage out—Havre—Leaving Havre—R.M.S.P. "Asturias"—St Nazaire—Orders at last. S.S. City of Benares ( Troopship ). Tuesday, 8 p.m. , August 18th. —Orders just gone round that there are to be no lights after dark, so I am hasting to write this. We had a great send-off in Sackville Street in our motor-bus, and went on board about 2 p.m. From then till 7 we watched the embarkation going on, on our own ship and another. We have a lot of R.E. and R.F.A. and

September 15, 1914, to October 11, 1914 "No easy hopes or lies Shall bring us to our goal, But iron sacrifice Of body, will, and soul. There is but one task for all— For each one life to give, Who stands if freedom fall? Who dies if England live?" —Rudyard Kipling....

September 15, 1914, to October 11, 1914. Station duty—On train duty—Orders again—Waiting to go—Still at Le Mans—No.— Stationary Hospital—Off at last—The Swindon of France. Tuesday, September 15th. —The train managed to reach Le Mans at 1 a.m. this morning, and kindly shunted into a siding in the station till 6.30 a.m. , so we got out our blankets and had a bit of a sleep. At 7 a motor ambulance took us up to No.— Stationary Hospital, which is a rather grimy Bishop's Palace, pretty full and busy.

October 13, 1914, to October 19, 1914 "In lonely watches, night by night Great visions burst upon my sight, For down the stretches of the sky The hosts of dead go marching by. Dear Christ, who reignst above the flood Of human tears and human blood, A weary road these men have trod: O house them in the home of God."...

October 13, 1914, to October 19, 1914. Ambulance Train—Under fire—Tales of the Retreat—Life on the Train. Tuesday, October 13th. —At last I am on the train, and have just unpacked. There is an Army Sister and two Reserve, a Major ——, O.C., and two junior officers. Don't know yet what messing arrangements are. We each have a bunk to ourselves, with a proper mattress, pillow, and blankets: a table and seat at one end, lots of racks and hooks, and a lovely little washing-house leading out of the bu

October 20, 1914, to November 17, 1914 "The thundering line of battle stands, And in the air Death moans and sings; But Day shall clasp him with strong hands, And Night shall fold him with soft wings." —Julian Grenfell....

October 20, 1914, to November 17, 1914. Rouen—First Battle of Ypres—At Ypres—A rest—A General Hospital. Tuesday, October 20th , 6 p.m. —Just leaving Rouen for Boulogne. We've seen some of the Indians. The Canadians seem to be still on Salisbury Plain. No one knows what we're going to Boulogne empty for. We have been busy to-day getting the train ready, stocking dressings, &c. All the 500 blankets are sent in to be fumigated after each journey, and 500 others drawn instead. And well they

November 18, 1914, to December 17, 1914 "Because of you we will be glad and gay, Remembering you we will be brave and strong, And hail the advent of each dangerous day, And meet the Great Adventure with a song." — From a poem on "J.G."...

November 18, 1914, to December 17, 1914. The Boulogne siding—St Omer—Indian soldiers—His Majesty King George—Lancashire men on the War—Hazebrouck—Bailleul—French engine-drivers—Sheepskin coats—A village in N.E. France—Headquarters. Wednesday, November 18th , 2 p.m. —At last reached beautiful Rouen, through St Just, Beauvais, and up to Sergueux, and down to Rouen. From Sergueux through Rouen to Havre is supposed to be the most beautiful train journey in France, which is saying a good deal. Put of

December 18, 1914, to January 3, 1915 "Judge of the passionate hearts of men, God of the wintry wind and snow, Take back the blood-stained year again, Give us the Christmas that we know." —F.G. Scott, Chaplain with the Canadians ....

December 18, 1914, to January 3, 1915. The Army and the King—Mufflers—Christmas Eve—Christmas on the train—Princess Mary's present—The trenches in winter—"A typical example"—New Year's Eve at Rouen—The young officers. Friday, December 18th , 10.30 a.m. —We've had an all-night journey to Rouen, and have almost got there. One of my sitting-ups was 106° this morning, but it was only malaria, first typical one I have met since S.A. A man who saw the King when he was here said, "They wouldn't let him

January 7, 1915, to February 6, 1915 "The winter and the dark last long: Grief grows and dawn delays: Make we our sword-arm doubly strong, And lift on high our gaze; And stanch we deep the hearts that weep, And touch our lips with praise." — Anon ....

January 7, 1915, to February 6, 1915. The Petit Vitesse siding—Uncomplainingness of Tommy—Painting the train—A painful convoy—The "Yewlan's" watch—"Officer dressed in bandages"—Sotteville—Versailles—The Palais Trianon—A walk at Rouen—The German view, and the English view—'Punch'—"When you return Conqueror"—K.'s new Army. Thursday, January 7th. —We moved out of Boulogne about 4 a.m. , and reached Merville (with many long waits) at 2 p.m. Loaded up there, and filled up at Hazebrouck on way back. M

February 7, 1915, to March 31, 1915 "Under the lee of the little wood I'm sitting in the sun; What will be done in Flanders Before the day be done? Above, beyond the larches, The sky is very blue; 'It's the smoke of hell in Flanders That leaves the sun for you.'" —H.C.F....

February 7, 1915, to March 31, 1915. The Indians—St Omer—The Victoria League—Poperinghe—A bad load—Left behind—Rouen again—An "off" spell— En route to Êtretat—Sotteville—Neuve Chapelle—St Eloi—The Indians—Spring in N.W. France—The Convalescent Home—Kitchener's boys. Sunday, February 7th. —This is a little out-of-the-way town called Blendecque, rather in a hollow. No.— A.T. has been here before, and the natives look at us as if we were Boches. There are 250 R.E. inhabiting a long truck-train here

April 2, 1915, to April 29, 1915 "The fighting man shall from the sun Take warmth, and life from the glowing earth; Speed with the light-foot winds to run, And with the trees to newer birth; And find, when fighting shall be done, Great rest, and fulness after dearth." —Julian Grenfell....

April 2, 1915, to April 29, 1915. Good Friday and Easter, 1915—The Maire's Château—A walk to Beuvry—The new billet—The guns—A Taube—The Back of the Front—A soldier's funeral—German Machine-guns—Gas fumes—The Second Battle of Ypres. Good Friday, April 2nd. —We got into Boulogne on Wednesday from Sotteville at 5 p.m. , and as soon as the train pulled up a new Sister turned up "to replace Sister ——," so I prepared for the worst and fully expected to be sent to Havre or Êtretat or Rouen, and began t

May 6, 1915, to May 26, 1915 "We have built a house that is not for Time's throwing; We have gained a peace unshaken by pain for ever. War knows no power. Safe shall be my going, Secretly armed against all death's endeavour. Safe though all safety's lost; safe where men fall; And if these poor limbs die, safest of all." —Rupert Brooke....

May 6, 1915, to May 26, 1915. The noise of war—Preparation—Sunday, May 9—The barge—The officers' dressing station—Charge of the Black Watch, May 9—Festubert, May 16—The French Hospital—A bad night—Shelled out—Back at a Clearing Hospital—"For duty at a Base Hospital." Thursday, May 6th , 3 a.m. —It was a very noisy day, and I didn't sleep after 2 p.m. There is a good lot of firing going on to-night. A very muddy officer of 6 ft. 4 was brought in early yesterday morning with a broken leg, and it i