Diary of Corporal Thomas Griffiths, March 1917

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cold and dry. The advance of ours has made the guns to sound miles away. Afternoon wet and miserable and cold. Our day thank God is over at 4.00, bully stew at 5.00 and pint of tea. We are dished out with kit bags today so our move is at hand now. Our rations for tomorrow are down lower, third of a loaf for three meals, no hot dinner, cold bully three tins for four men, tin of jam for 6 men. Heavy firing on this evening on Arras front. What joy to see this awful life over. Nobody will be more pleased than us soldiers who have all the hardships of it. Wednesday 21.3.17 Terrible gun firing throughout night. Today we get up 6.15, breakfast 6.30, bacon, bread and tea - nearle eat all this meal. Parade 7.15. I am sent to fit concrete pipes to Waslincourt Station, had biscuits and tea there and brought some with me for tea or I don't know how I should feel by now only for them I'm pleased to say. There is a din all along the line, the guns are something awful today. The morning is cold and snowing but in the afternoon the sun came out. I arrived in camp at 4.15 and my officer saw me and asked me to move his hut with 6 men. So I had to work till 5.45. I am a fancy with this officer, he is second in command here. Rations tomorrow - 1/2 a loaf, cheese and jam. Tonight rum is dished out, my word you need it too, goodnight dearie. Thursday 22.3.17 The guns were something awful all night on the Arras front. 60 of our men are going to Arras at 5.00 a.m. the huts and all so we are only waiting to follow. Was got out of bed at 6.15, its snowing heavy and so cold. For breakfast bacon, tea. Today we are at the camp concreting water column, midday meal at 12 .00 till 12.30. Snowing all day and so cold, ankle deep in mud and snow. Dinner at 5.00, bully beef stew and tea. I thought of washing my underclothes tonight, but its to wet to make a fire. Its a month since I changed and no chance to wash them yet. Well lovie we are in the midst of war now and may God pull me through and rest me in your arms again safe. Rations are dished out for tomorrow and are third loaf, no jam nor cheese. Another bad day in front of us tomorrow so goodnight love how I long for home and its comforts. Friday 23.3.17 Heavy gun firing all night on Arras, was also a heavy fall of snow and a bitter cold morn. Usual breakfast at 6.30 bacon cold, bread. We eat midday meal sharing tea. My work is today in charge of chain diggers. There are stream of troops passing us today, 40,000 in all, but not a face there I know. Dinner we had between 12.00 and 12.30, small crust and potted pork & cocoa. The afternoon is sunny but cold wind. Dinner bully stew, rice and figs. Then its my washing day. I manage to find a biscuit tin to boil them on a camp fire, so there is one load came off my mind. Rations for tomorrow are three in a loaf, jam and cheese and iron biscuits. So its a hard fare again. We are getting quite used to it by now but it will tell on us in time. Send green envelope home tonight. Goodnight dear one. Saturday 24.3.17 Another cold and frosty night has passed away and bitter cold morning dawns on us in France again. 6.30 bacon and tea was served, our work was on pipe laying in camp. Dinner at 12.00, tea and crust biscuit. Afternoon was sunny. A German Taube dropped a bomb on Warlincourt this morn but did no damage. They say at home that our soldiers march to the trenches singing, no such thing. I have seen thousands going by but all are bent heads with sullen looks in their eyes. Dinner we had at 5.00 bully stew and tea. Then I washed a couple of towels and socks. So am on the clean side now for a while. A parcel came from Nell today, cakes most acceptable. Rations are down for tomorrow one third of a loaf and usual. Goodnight lovie 8.30 p.m. Sunday 25.3.17 Summer time 1 hour. Cold and bitter night and heavy firing. This morn we are on parade 6.00 a.m., this is 5.00 a.m. in the old time. Loading some more huts for Beaumetz Arras front where another platoon of ours has gone. Breakfast at 7.15, bacon and tea. Work stars on pipe track at 7.45. Dinner at 12.30, hot bully stew again. The guns are fairly shaking us today, a beautiful sunny day and many aeroplanes flying. No devine service again today, only work here now. This after noon was bright and sunny and thaw set in so we are ankle deep in mud and working in a pipe drain so we are covered with mud. Our day is over at 4.00p.m. Tea at 4.30, then I finished my letter to you and now we are going for a walk. We can go 2 miles radius of camp. Rations - third of a loaf, jam and cheese and iron biscuits. We had a lovely ramble but plenty of mud. Now dearie goodnight. Monday 26.3.17 Pouring with rain all night and when we started on our day we were greeted with a downpour. 6.30 - bacon, tea and bread. We were dished out with oil skin coats. Mid day meal 12.00 to 12.30, iron biscuits and cheese, tea. Still raining and cold. Our shoes, socks and putties were dripping wet from our oil coats. I was never so glad to see a day coming to a close as I did today. So tonight we are busy trying to dry our putties. For dinner we had at 5.00, stew, bully and preserved potatoes, tea. I'm glad to say rations for tomorrow is better, 1/2 loaf, jam and an orange a man. It's now 7.30 and stormy wind and rain and makes one think of the old armchair and loving wife in the rocker on the opposite side. Tuesday 27.3.17 Another night of heavy firing and frost. We are up usual time - bacon and tae at 6.30 a.m. Toil is cementing around tank, its a wet and cold day, heavy snow mid day. Meal at 12.00, plenty of muck about. Dinner we had at 5.00, peas, roast beef and tea. The evening I spend by the fireside writing and drying my things. Rations for tomorrow are 1/2 loaf, jam and cheese. Wednesday 28.3.17 8th. Heavy night of firing and a frosty morn. Cold bacon and tea. Today I am sent with plate layers 2 miles away. Its a beautiful sunny day and there are some infantry men with us and they tell some pitiful tales of trench life and we went to a cafe for coffee. 4d for a small wine glassful. Got back to camp at 4.30, dinner at 5.00, roast beef no vegetables. Rice and figs after, no tea. Ration for tomorrow are third of a loaf, cheese and jam. Also rum is dished out tonight. The evening am passing in writing to you. Goodnight dearie. Thursday 29.3.17 Pouring rain throughout the night, also gun firing. Breakfast 6.30, boiled bacon and tea. Our daily toil was digging a drain. rain pouring all day. We were wet through and ankle deep in mud. Mid day meal at 12.00 till 12.30. Still rain coming down at 4.30, our day was over thank God. Tonight am trying to dry my things. Dinner at 5.00, roast beef and peas. Rations for tomorrow are third of a loaf, no jam, cheese. Goodnight little one. Friday 30.3.17 Pouring rain all night. Guns were quiet. Bacon and tea 6.30. Parade at 7.15 in blinding snow and it rained heavy till 2.00 p.m. then a cold bitter wind. We are again over our boots in water and muck in drains. Dinner at 5.00, roast beef and peas, rice and figs. Ruddles is on guards so shall miss hm and his blankets tonight. Tomorrow night is my turn for guard. Tonight am spending by camp fire. Rations for tomorrow are third loaf and biscuits, cheese and jam tin for five. You would not think there was a war on today. Now dearie I must kiss you goodnight after an evening with my common prayer book past most pleasant. Saturday 31.3.17 No gun firing. The bed was cold towards the morning without my bed mate. Bacon and tea at 6.30. Our work was clearing tools that are laying about camp. The weather is bitterly cold, but dry. Mid day meal at 12.00. At 3.00 p.m. I went to guard room to put the guard through it for 6.00 p.m. Rain came down in torrent and thunder and lightning. Dinner at 4.45, roast beef & stew bully no vegetables no potatoes. In fact we have not seen any of the latter for many days. 5.45 its still pouring. Anyway must go and mount he guard in pouring rain. It the cleared up beautiful. 9.00 p.m. we had supper - broken biscuits and tea also rum. The night was quiet and moonlight, no firing going on tonight. Its now 12.00 p.m. and I intend to steal an hour's sleep. There is a long train of motor tanks this station going towards the firing line. The night was uneventful, very quiet, heavy rain and at 6.00 a.m. came off duty till 9.00.

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