The War Diary of Captain John Aidan Liddell, VC, MC

Saturday 19th 19 September 1914 ¶

Poured in torrents during night, soaked and very cold, as my waterproof sheet had been purloined from my bivy during shelling. Restful morning. Battle less vehement. In afternoon sent to bury four men who were buried in ruins on 17th. Buchanan had removed debris all morning. One foot visible. Two ? bodies burned in yard. We finished removing debris, and found only two legs and pieces of skull. Suppose the rest were blown into infinitesimal fragments. Big guns put two shells behind the town during afternoon and two during evening. Slept in hayloft, much more comfortable.

“Two ? bodies burned in yard” — the question mark is HIS. He could not tell how many. It is not a transcription mark and has not been removed.

Sunday 20th 20 September 1914 ¶

Rained in morning. Orders to move to Sept Monts. Started at 7.30 and arrived 11.30 p.m. Rained. Found Purves and his draft had just arrived. Purves very seedy. Billeted chez M. Lafargue. Riffian 1st waterUnresolved reading, note [33]; slept in valise for 1st time since St. Nazaire.

Monday 21st 21 September 1914 ¶

First decent wash, clean hose and socks, etc. Very comfortable night and peaceful day. Sounds of firing still audible in North. They say there are some large guns now which have put the German 8" ones out of action. Mail.

Tuesday 22nd 22 September 1914 ¶

Dug trenches from 7.30 till 1. Battle still going on. Shaved for first time since St. Nazaire.

Wednesday 23rd 23 September 1914 ¶

Battalion's machine guns arrived. Took them over, also Major McLean's riding breeks, which fitted better than I expected. Macpherson, Fairlie, and Cunningham arrived.

Thursday 24th 24 September 1914 ¶

Cleaned guns, filled belts.

Friday 25th 25 September 1914 ¶

Fired 250 rounds to try guns, terrified the inhabitants. Battle still continues.

Saturday 26th 26 September 1914 ¶

Only incident, my sword which I lost on the 8th, turned up, found by someone in the Middlesex 'on the field of battle', at Signy Signets I suppose. Several aeroplanes shelled quite close. Shells anything to 5000 yds short of them!

Sunday 27th 27 September 1914 ¶

Alarm at 6 a.m. Germans broke through line. Turned out to be a small misguided patrol that had wandered through. Nothing happened. Church parade at 9. Guns busy all day.

Monday 28th 28 September 1914 ¶

Had to stand at arms at 5 o'clock until 6. Very cold. Route march in morning. Rode into Soissons in afternoon. Kilt extraordinarily uncomfortable. Although they shell the town daily, there are still some shops open, and plenty of inhabitants knocking about.

Tuesday 29th 29 September 1914 ¶

Parade again 5 to 6. Just after breakfast a German aeroplane came just overhead. No-one seemed to pay any attention to it, although it was no more than 1500 feet up. Sorry missed opportunity of using guns which were just outside. I think we would have had a chance of knocking it over. Purves went to base, having been in hospital last 4 or 5 days.

Wednesday 30th 30 September 1914 ¶

Colder than ever at 5 o'clock. Watched one of our aeroplanes directing heavy gunfire with coloured stars. Walked through some woods with Colonel in afternoon. Very like home woods. Hazel undergrowth. Pheasants going to roost. Heard that the French have turned the German right, so that it faces north now. Also that they are moving away from centre to their right flank. Heard in the morning that they had made a violent attack on 1st army, and left 1500 dead in front of 2nd division. Also that 2 battalions of their Guards are wiped out, dead and captured.

Thursday, October 1st 1 October 1914 ¶

Must have frozen hard. Cold as anything in early morning. Route marched.

Friday 2nd 2 October 1914 ¶

Heavy firing, rifle and gun, from about 1 a.m. to 3.30, on left. Very misty. Put on boots, gaiters (Fraser's) intending to route march for a mile or two then ride. Forgot to order horse, and so had to walk the whole way, went through Buzancy. No news, and firing less heavy.

Saturday 3rd 3 October 1914 ¶

Machine-gun detachments inspected by brigadier. Small scheme set for officers. Heavy firing about 5.30 p.m.

Sunday 4th 4 October 1914 ¶

Church parade 9 a.m. Had first hot bath, quite an event.

Monday 5th 5 October 1914 ¶

Machine-guns brigaded on parade for 3½. Paraded for move about 3 o'clock, our line of march having been changed at last minute, owing apparently to German aeroplanes. One brought down into the road, pilot and observer breaking their necks. Through Hartennes to St. Remy, which we reached about 1.30. Got into my sleeping-bag about 3 o'clock, in a wood lurking from aeroplanes. 13 mile march after a fortnight at Sept Monts.

Tuesday 6th 6 October 1914 ¶

Stayed in wood all day. Mail arrived with first parcel, cigarettes and chocolate. Moved off at 7.45 in the evening. Through Villiers and Carteret to Vezelay. Arrived 3 a.m.

Wednesday 7th 7 October 1914 ¶

Moved off about 5.50 p.m. and arrived Bethisy St. Pierre about midnight. Picked lock of motor works and lit a huge fire in the fireplace. Very warm all night, but a terrible draught on back of neck, got an awful cold in head.

Thursday 8th 8 October 1914 ¶

Ready to move at 11, then 1, and finally moved at 2. Arrived at Pont St. Maxence about 5.30. Ready to entrain at 9, 11, and 1, and did not do so at all.

Friday 9th 9 October 1914 ¶

Dreadfully cold last night. Moved off at 7.15 and marched to Estree St. Denis, arriving about 11 a.m. Entrained at 10 p.m. and started at 11. Very comfortable in 1st class carriage.

Saturday 10th 10 October 1914 ¶

Arrived Etaples about 7, then to Blendecques about 1, marched to St. Omer, arriving about 3.30. Battalion billeted in cavalry barracks. Henderson, self, and Aitken off to Hotel de Commerce, and had eggs and coffee. Rooms for night. Did some shopping, and then excellent hot bath. All the officers messed at the hotel, where we had an excellent dinner. Turned in about 10 o'clock, slept in sheets!

Monday 23rd 23 November 1914 ¶

Lots of snipers, our guns shelled some of the farms in German lines in afternoon. Still dreadfully cold. Notice I forgot the Battalion's effort at P'loogstiert WoodUnresolved reading, note [1]. Night attack on German lines. 130 missing, also B. Marshall, Cunningham, Macpherson, Sotheby, wounded, Hutchinson arrived.

Tuesday 24th 24 November 1914 ¶

Thawed a bit.

Wednesday 25th 25 November 1914 ¶

Started to rain during night, and was still pouring when I left for Houplines at 6. Breakfast at Headquarters. Afterwards shave, bath, (first since St. Omer) and change of clothes. Excellent lunch, and walked into Armentieres with Aitkin. Very little left in shops. Civies repairing their houses. News of further Russian victories. Back at 6 or so, freezing again. Boyd arrived yesterday evening.

“Civies” is period usage and is probably intentional.

Thursday 26th 26 November 1914 ¶

Still rather slushy, though a bit of wind drying things. Snipers rather active though very inaccurate. Guns rather busy on left in afternoon.

Friday 27th 27 November 1914 ¶

A dozen or so indifferent shells during morning. Theory that new gunners taking over trying ranges. Snipers very busy, Boyd getting one through his Glengarry. News of another great Russian victory. Dug new gun pit at night, cracked a bottle of DOM with Sammy. Heard that Leathers was a prisoner, also Pat Campbell. Last night operated with Max against little trench on left of BivyUnresolved reading, note [4]. Later went out with Anderson and two men to investigate persistently rumoured snipers. Went about 250 yds. and of course drew blank.

DOM is Bénédictine D.O.M.

Saturday 28th 28 November 1914 ¶

Lots of sniping. Maxwell shot through upper arm by sniper in morning. Appeared to come from small house about 250 yds in front of us, and only 150 or so from A Coys' picket. Rained heavily during evening.

Sunday 29th 29 November 1914 ¶

Dull weather. Germans hoisted a little yellow flag in front of Sammy's company, so we hoisted a Union Jack. They removed theirs then, and sniped furiously at ours. Only one bullet through it by the time I left. Later they put two through the stick and sixteen through the flag.

Monday 30th 30 November 1914 ¶

Been in trenches a month. St. Andrew's day. Moved into our new dug-out. Last night A Coy investigated the little house in front of them. Ground floor fortified with coal. Lots of cartridge cases. Blown up by R.E.

Tuesday December 1st 1 December 1914 ¶

Nothing much happening. Tried gun on some carts in between lines reported to be occupied by snipers. Rained a bit during early part of night.

Wednesday 2nd 2 December 1914 ¶

Our guns busy in morning. Only very little reply from enemy. The King had been at Sailly yesterday with Poincare and Joffre, and today at Bailleul with Prince of Wales. Two per coy. under Aitkin went over. Had an excellent dinner, which I enjoyed in spite of feeling seedy for a week or more. Haggis, mashed spuds, peaches, and a bottle of fizz; coffee with Sammy afterwards.

Thursday 3rd 3 December 1914 ¶

Very vigorous artillery noise on left about 2 p.m.

Friday 4th 4 December 1914 ¶

Heard that there had been very heavy rifle fire on our left, from 11 to 2 last night. Headquarters and "resting platoons" billets shelled during afternoon. Four men hit.

Saturday 5th 5 December 1914 ¶

Went up to Headquarters. Poured all day, very wet, trenches in a fearful state.

Sunday 6th 6 December 1914 ¶

Houplines shelled in morning. Men had to be moved out of billets again. Six civilians killed. Our aeroplanes very busy. Three just over us at one time. Germans fired furiously with rifles and shelled one, but with no result. Fine morning, rained in evening.

Monday 7th 7 December 1914 ¶

Poured all day. Moir and Lyle arrived.

Tuesday 8th 8 December 1914 ¶

Uneventful day. After dark the German searchlight began working, and I got heavily sniped as I was going through Pont Ballot farm as they switched the searchlight suddenly on to me. About 10 o'clock they started firing volleys at different places along the trench and behind, which they lit up with the light, so at 12 midnight I turned the MG onto it. Fired about 150 rounds, searching up from 400 (where gun was laid) to about 2000. Light swung round rapidly and went out. Waited for it to re-appear until 2.30, but it and the snipers were quite quelled.

Wednesday 9th 9 December 1914 ¶

Went up to Headquarters. Trenches very muddy, as it rained from 2.30 last night onwards. A. Coy. annexed three Germans, 139th Saxon regts. 19th Corps, who gave themselves up from the blown-up cottage this morning. Went into Armentieres for a bath in the afternoon. Just while we were dining, and before our plum pudding arrived, heavy rifle fire commenced. MG had fired one belt before I arrived. Nothing to be seen, but both sides started shelling. I should think 4 of the German shells were dud. Some 200 yds short, most miles behind. Pathetic exhibition of gunnery. However, they burst some quite close, and I got a splinter on the little finger. Died a natural death, helped by rifles failing after ½ an hour or so, i.e., about 8.45. Searchlights not active.

Thursday 10th 10 December 1914 ¶

Total casualties in A&SH, 5 scratched (one as a matter of fact being hit in the arm). Three 5th Cameronians killed by shell. Germans apparently made some offensive movement on A and B Coys. No. 1 gun fired 1000 rounds only. Germans supposed to have come up to wire in some places.

Friday 11th 11 December 1914 ¶

Relieved by Cameronians. Poured with rain, trenches like a river. Horrible business handing over. Marched into Armentieres, where we billeted in the lunatic asylum.

Saturday 12th 12 December 1914 ¶

Cleaned and overhauled guns.

Sunday 13th 13 December 1914 ¶

Inoculated against typhoid. Arm very stiff.

Monday 14th 14 December 1914 ¶

Germans shelled Armentieres from about 8.30 p.m. until 7.30 in the morning. Plenty of shells fell in the asylum, but did no damage. Armentieres lit up by an enormous blaze. Stood to in case it became too hot, but got to bed at 3.30 only to stand to again immediately. Got to bed again 5.30, but unable to sleep much owing to the noise.

15th to 17th 15–17 December 1914 ¶

Nothing doing.

Friday 18th 18 December 1914 ¶

Twelve new gunners arrived in draft last night.

Sunday 20th 20 December 1914 ¶

Asylum shelled during night from 12.45 to about 1.30, and again during service in morning, one shell into B. coy's room, and one into cook house. Four men hit. Went over to Middlesex headquarters in afternoon, and in evening Battalion moved into their trenches. Very muddy indeed. Machine guns on a salient which sticks right out towards German lines, 300 yds. away. Aeroplane dropped some bombs into Armentieres during day. Aitken went on leave.

Monday 21st 21 December 1914 ¶

FreligheimUnresolved reading, note [16] shelled pretty heavily by our artillery.

Tuesday 22nd 22 December 1914 ¶

Dug a new emplacement for machine gun in B. Coy.

Thursday 24th 24 December 1914 ¶

Headquarters in morning and Middlesex for FGCM in morning. In evening the Germans had a concert. Sgt. Minnery went out in response to an invitation from the German lines, and had a chat with a Saxon soldier who knew Glasgow well. Beautiful night. Freezing hard, starlight.

FGCM is Field General Court Martial, left as his abbreviation.

Friday 25th. Xmas day 25 December 1914 ¶

Rather foggy, still freezing. In afternoon Germans brought two barrels of beer over to Welsh fusiliers. Our men and theirs walked over to the halfway fence and had a chat. Astonishing sight. Walked over, Kennedy, Thomson, and all of us, and had a long chat. Met the man from Glasgow, and gave him tobacco in exchange for cigars. Also newspapers. Talked to a lot of them in English, and promised to send more papers over each night as far as the halfway fence. They are all confident that the Russians are beaten, and that the Austrians are in Belgrade. Victory for them in 6 months. They all seemed very friendly, lots of handshaking, and "Auf wiedersehen" on parting, which took place just before dusk, owing to their officers recalling them.

December 26th 26 December 1914 ¶

Relieved in evening by Sherwood Foresters, who were very bucked with our trenches after theirs within 25 yds. of Germans. Into billets in Armentieres again.

December 29th 29 December 1914 ¶

Rode over to Steinwerck to see the Northumberland Hussars, who are quartered about a mile from there. Most of them away Route marching; however, Col. Cookson gave us (Anderson and self) lunch. Back through Croix du Bac.

December 30th, Wednesday 30 December 1914 ¶

Some of the officers went over to Bac St. Maur for a hunt! Meet at 2. Germans shelled Houplines and Armentieres most of afternoon. Some shrapnel just behind our billets, no damage however.

Thursday 31st 31 December 1914 ¶

New Year's Eve. Athol Brose brewed in afternoon. Concert for men 5.30 until 8.

Friday 1st 1 January 1915 ¶

Wet day. Large attendance at Orderly room.

Saturday 2nd 2 January 1915 ¶

Marched off 7 p.m. to relieve Shropshires (L.I.) 16th Bde. Fine, very light night. About 4 km. to Bois Grenier, thence through seas of mud to trenches, which though lined with bricks in parts were over one's knees in parts. One gun with C. one with D. Four men of latter coy. lost their shoes on way in! Took six men to get one man out of mud between A. and C. One of SLI MG team killed getting out of trench, Capt. Stirling, Cameronians, also killed. Heavy artillery fire on right about midnight. Rations didn't turn up until 3 a.m.

Sunday 3rd 3 January 1915 ¶

Rained in afternoon. Snipers very busy.

Monday 4th 4 January 1915 ¶

Our guns put a few shells into German trenches in morning. Trenches still falling in; rain most of day. General Gordon came round and got bogged between A and C Coys. Tried the Verey pistol in evening when there was a bit of an alarm. Very good. Bridge in evening. Heard that Austrians had given in, and that Italy had declared war on Germany!

Tuesday 5th 5 January 1915 ¶

Our artillery shelled German trenches most of morning. They replied with a few shells in the afternoon, doing no damage. Rained off and on most of day.

Wednesday 6th 6 January 1915 ¶

A little finer during day. Poured in evening.

Thursday 7th 7 January 1915 ¶

Rained all night and very dark. Most of the trench fell in, and there is a minimum of 6" of water in the trench, and trench still collapsing, and earth being poached into sticky mud. By midday the trench was waist deep in places. A Coy had one man up to his neck, and only dugouts for two men. Officers' mess fell in. At dusk started digging a new trench behind. Superintended digging from 12 to 2.30 a.m., after dining in cellar of farm.

Friday 8th 8 January 1915 ¶

Rained all morning and afternoon. RE came up in evening, and started on breastwork at back. Their stores however were bad at turning up, so very little was done. Very seedy.

Saturday 9th 9 January 1915 ¶

Still raining. 3rd corps arranged a bombardment of German trenches, but urgent requests postponed it. However they managed to get off a few rounds by way of registering. Germans replied with 2 doz. rounds. Rained all afternoon. Everything swamped, men incapable of throwing a shovelful of earth. Seven men of MG section went sick. 50 yds of breastwork brought down and erected during night. German searchlight turned on to their own trenches, and saw them digging hard.

Sunday 10th 10 January 1915 ¶

Woken late, and had to get to Bois Grenier during daylight. Rode into Armentieres, and had a bath and clean clothes. Drove to Merville with Bucknall (1st Middlesex). Arrived about 8 p.m. and fed.

Monday January 18th 18 January 1915 ¶

Left Victoria 8.15 a.m., boat at 1.55 to Boulogne, and train thence to Hazebrouck, Motor buses on to Nieppe; where I got a lift in the Middlesex Mess cart. Arrived at 2nd Echelon about 11 p.m.

Tuesday 19th 19 January 1915 ¶

Slept at 2nd Echelon farm, breakfasted and arrived at Headquarters after lunch. Went down at dusk to trenches which Battalion entered yesterday. Guns with D coy. Purves living in tiny cottage. Lots of mud. Things very quiet.

Wednesday 20th 20 January 1915 ¶

Walked up to Headquarters for a court martial, which was postponed until tomorrow. Went to call on the Leicesters who are on our left, and are within 40 yds of the Germans. Both sides hard at work building breastworks. German officer sitting in chair directing operations. In front of D. coy. similar quiet, only about 200 yds apart. Opposite C coy. however are Prussians who snipe continuously. Jim Younger arrived in evening, Nicol a few days ago. Kirk and Moorhouse home sick. Anderson Stewart more recently. Slight alarm about 9 p.m.

Thursday 21st 21 January 1915 ¶

Poured in torrents all day. Our guns shelled the trenches on the right pretty continuously. Germans replied with two just behind D coy's lines.

Friday 22nd 22 January 1915 ¶

Very wet and miserable night. Very cold in the morning, as it froze. However day was fine and sunny though cold, and a number of aeroplanes appeared. Gunners pretty busy on farms behind German lines.

Saturday 23rd 23 January 1915 ¶

Froze last night and most of day. Relieved about 5.30 p.m. by Middlesex. Felt pretty seedy, lay down on arrival at billets.

Sunday 24th 24 January 1915 ¶

Remained lying down.

Monday 25th 25 January 1915 ¶

Went to Field Ambulance, Erquinghem, in wagon about 11 a.m. Stayed on a mattress on floor all day.

Tuesday 26th 26 January 1915 ¶

Motor ambulance left about 10 a.m. for Clearing Station (No. 2) I think, at Bailleul, reached about 12. Bed at once.

Wednesday 27th 27 January 1915 ¶

On stretcher to ambulance train, which left about 10.30 a.m. Arrived Boulogne about 4 p.m. and to No. 7 Stationary hospital.

Thursday 28th 28 January 1915 ¶

Left for hospital ship about 11 a.m. Sailed about 1 p.m. arrived Dover about 3. Hospital train thence to Woolwich, and then to Herbert Hospital.

Saturday 30th 30 January 1915 ¶

Left for Sheffield with three weeks leave. Extended three more weeks, and then to Woolwich to 3rd Battalion. Applied to join RFC, and was sent to Shoreham May 4th. Thence in first week of June to Dover. Lived in Burlington. Very comfortable.

July 21st 21 July 1915 ¶

Sent to Farnborough with instructions to be ready to leave for overseas at a moment's notice. Told would fly BE2C over, but none ready. Rained in torrents, so went home.

Thursday 22nd 22 July 1915 ¶

Rained, more home.

Friday 23rd 23 July 1915 ¶

Left Farnborough in tender for London, and caught 1.40 train at Victoria. Folkestone and Boulogne.

Saturday 24th 24 July 1915 ¶

Arrived St. Omer 3.30 a.m. Eventually got to RFC headquarters, and was attached to No. 7 Squadron here. Voisins and a few RE's only.

Sunday 25th 25 July 1915 ¶

Tried BE2C, engine bad.

Monday 26th 26 July 1915 ¶

Tried RE5, and also gave some joy rides on BE2C.

Tuesday 27th 27 July 1915 ¶

. More RE, and warned in evening for reconnaissance tomorrow morning.

Wednesday 28th 28 July 1915 ¶

Slept in C Flight office, and woke at 5. Too much wind for reconnaissance.

Thursday 29th 29 July 1915 ¶

Got going about 3.45 a.m. via Dunkerque, Ostend, Bruges, Ghent. At Ostend a Hun arrived and opened fire with M.G. Paused at Bruges while we were Archied. Then tried to hustle, no castUnresolved reading, note [30]. Managed to get to WestUnresolved reading, note [31], and MG jammed at Ghent. Kept on with rifle and pistol, and Hun sheered off at HeestartUnresolved reading, note [32]. Watkins scratched on finger. About 11 holes in planes. Bracing wire broken and a flying wire hit. Altogether 3 hours 50 minutes in air. Archies were rather close.

“About 11 holes in planes” — planes means wings, in the usage of the period.