Item 01: Leslie William Sutherland diary, 24 September 1914 - 23 September 1915 - Page 197

[Page 197]

25 December 1914
Friday Christmas Day

Revielle at 6
Stables per usual & 6 men warned for orderly room at 9 remainder parade at 9.15 am. I as orderly sergeant parade these men & also was a witness indirectly for the prosecution the charge was for being drunk, the CO found the men to be guilty & thereby sentenced them accordingly & as defaulters I had to get them fatigue work about 12 PM they demanded a retrial or a court martial the CO therefore deferred the cases at 2.30 one & all each man witness for D & P some on oath that the men were not drunk but slightly merry nevertheless they were again convicted one only being discharged, they therefore have demanded a court martial which will take place shortly; we have a tip top spread with everything you could wish for & Bert M has his brother to tea Bed 10 PM

26 December 1914
Saturday Boxing Day

Reveille at 6.

Stables as per usual & after breakfast riding school under Sgt [indecipherable] [indecipherable] followed &then a gallop. The horses enjoyed it as much as we did dinner at 1PM after that the remainder of the men under Bert Masters had their ride & the WT hacks were taken out by Harold [indecipherable] I pull my scrap to bits & try to clean some of the rust off them but of no avail, the bearings are all worn & the tyres settled, but another expert arrived & I condemned them so there is every chance of getting the new scraps either Indians or Rudge Masters Toby & I are to go in on Monday & find out how many are available Wrote letters & paraded defaulters after tea hear that mail arrives. Toby sent to [indecipherable] at 8.30 Bed 9.15 PM