Item 06: John D. Wilson diary, 17 May-19 September 1917 - Page 165

[Page 165]

Later. The first report is not correct. The collision was near here, but it was a goods train not a leave train that collided. A number of trucks were smashed. This is another instance of the number & character of "furphies" that travel around.

Friday August 24.1917. (1117.)
Windy all day with a few showers. We were all at the usual routine work today. A large number of good conduct stripes were served out this evening to those who were elegible- that is 12 months service without a crime.
I received a letter from my sister this evening dated May31.
I sent Christmas cards to my wife, my sister and my Father & Mother.
[2 lines of shorthand]
Saturday Aug 25. 1917 (1118)
A fine morning but cloudy. This morning with others I went to a village called Senlecquin where the 38 Battn. is camped to cut some hay into chaff. We returned before dinner. At a Debilant, which is another name for estaminent, we called in on our return and had 3 hot coffees & cognac which we enjoyed. I sent This evening is a half holiday.
Yesterday I made a shaving mug out of the brass [indecipherable] of a shell nos cap. It is a British one. The base is a copper ring which I made out of a driving band off an enemy shell. I got the Plummer to solder the ring to the cap.
With Len Sherham, J R Matheson I went blackberring. We travelled several miles of country lanes and I had the bigest feed of ripe blackberries I ever had in my life. Also a few strawberries. The land here is stony being full of small flints & reminds me of England.