Item 02: Arthur John Moore diary, 11 November 1916-11 January 1918 - Page 10

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[Page 10]

Tues. Nov 21. Reveille at 6. Break. 6.45. Fell in at 8 in marching order. I was told to stay behind as my old ankle was still "out of action". The rest of the crowd marched away to "somewhere unknown" about 9. W.O. [Black?] came into the Tent, which was in a glorious mess & told me to clean it up. I just got going nicely when "Wing" Smaile of A sec. arrived on the scene. He had just been discharged from Hospital after an attack of "flu", so he nobly assisted me. Just after Dinner the 1st F.A. arrived & occupied our old Tent. Wing" & I went over to the station to try & find out where the gallant 8th were, but met with no success: so we settled down for the night. The 1st are a decent crowd, but I missed good old B. sec. "Wing" & I turned in together. He was very "chatty" & while he hunted among his clothes, I wrote a few lines to M.S. but I couldn't write much as "Lights Out" went, so I had to cut it short.

Wed 22 After Break. Wing" & I packed up & reported to Maj. Bollan who gave us a note to the R.T.O. at Albert station to arrange for our transport to Vignacourt somewhere near Amiens, where our Nursing sec. are, but the R.T.O. dashed our hopes to the ground by telling us to report to Bellevue Farm along the Bray Road, only about a mile away. We got there in time for Dinner. Machonochie's & B'd & Butter, quite a decent feed. Bellevue Farm is a pretty good camp, made up of wooden huts, which are quite warm. Here the stragglers from the different divisions are collected & sent on to their units. There is a Y.M.C.A. Hut in the camp, where cocoa & biscuits can be obtained at 1 per cup & 1d per pkt. Needless to say it is well patronised. We made ourselves comfortable & slept in till 8 next morning.

Thur 23. After Break. I was walking along to get a wash when I met Capt. Nance & Reg Laycock, who had just returned from leave to "Blighty". Paraded to the Doctor, who examined my foot & said I could return to my unit, so we packed up & the 4 of us (Smaile, Capt Nance, Laycock & myself) & reported back to the Rest

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