Item 06: John D. Wilson diary, 17 May-19 September 1917 - Page 169

[Page 169]

Tuesday August 28. 1917. (1121)
A cold wet miserable winter day. It was rough & stormy last night, and all this evening, and there is every appearance of it continuing through the coming night.
Mr. Mapleson took over the Transports this morning. From returns published the Allies have taken over 167,780 prisoners since April.

Wednesday Aug 29. 1917. (1122.)
Today the weather is cold & showery. We have a half holiday this evening, but the weather is too bad to move out of the barn, so most of us are staying in some reading some writing and some playing "two up."
Several mails have come in during the past few days but I have received none. The latest dated letter that I have heard of is June 25, which is 20 days later than mine. No papers came yesterday, but Tuesdays paper came tonight, & reports a succession of allied victories. Haig says:- "the enemy cannot stand many more such blows."

Thursday August 30, 1917. (1123.)
Cold South winds with occasional showers. I was shepherding horses yesterday morning and again this morning on the roads in order to give them a feed of grass. There is generally good grass along the sides of the French roads in this district.
This afternoon I made & fitted a pair of rollers in a set of nickel spurs.
Everything is very dear in the canteen & at the Y.M>C.A. I paid 1 franc & 6d for a tin of nestles condensed milk.(sweetened) I had a feed of [indecipherable] to night.

Friday August 31. 1917. (1124.)
Showery today. This afternoon I made a