My Grandfather's World War One Diary - From The Trenches

My Grandfather's World War One Diary - From The Trenches

Photo of the diary and his penmanship.

A number of years ago, my father inherited some of my Grandfather's possessions when his sister, Norma died. One of these was Grandfather William Ramsay Senior's diary which he kept while in combat during World War One. Some of the insights which I have transcribed below are vivid and certainly give a picture of the finality of war. He lost his brother in battle during WW1. Also, you may read below in one passage of one who Grandfather was there to relieve was killed while waiting to depart across the treacherous "Lover's Lane" where two ran together lest one be shot.

It was riveting for me as I read of his being close to death many times and yet I never knew him as he passed away before I was born.

Inside front cover (see text below)

Outside binding with remanants of masking tape.

Transcribed text below

BR November 11, 2009
Diary


____________________________________________



Corporal Wm. Ramsay


50421, 20th Canadians


Inside front cover



Various scratched codes (debts?)


Page 2



Nov 1st, 15


Landed at La Havre 2:30 a.m. Proceed to Canadian camp #19 Harfleur, a few minutes with Fred Ingham of D. Co. H Wardle & few others




2nd


Proceed to (WC) Central training grounds time spent going over trenches and bomb throwing and bayonet fighting, the English officer rather sharp, but don’t seem to take any effect on the majority of the boys, except caused them to laugh.


3rd




Training grounds, have a talk with Harry Barton at Officers mess, noon order for Canadians to move up the line, have few more minutes with Harry, and then march away. In the course of arprech by the Imperial Officer, he says, I am more than proud to have you fellows under my charge, if only for a few days, ect, then praising the manner they fought at Affres, another one was I know that you don’t like to be bossed around any way at all, but he knew




Page 3.




The kind of material he was handling and affires had proven them as the best.


4th


Proceed to Harve to entrain, arrive after long march, which was anything but pleasant, board the train after the usual delay, and proceed to Rroun.


5th


Arrive Rouen at 5 a.m., spent a considerable time getting rations, and try to make the best of the weary wait.


Noon, a few fellows return after being in town for a few hours, having found a safe retreat, we inquire as to time train leaves, and then beat it to town, have a very pleasant afternoon, and evening in town, lots of fun listening to the French people talking, they not being able to understand me, and vice versa, leave at 9 p m for Belgium, like all troop trains the journey is anything but pleasant. arrive Belgium


6th


Arrive at Baileul on near the Belgian boundary line, march to Batallion at La Clete, they having been relieved from the trenches the night of the 5th inst. saw Jack in the evening, and a few of my soldier friends. Sleep at the transport lines the first night.


7th


Detailed to company, after applying for transfer from C.A.M.C. to the battalion proper, join same platoon as Jack & R.E. Harris, the latter afterwards becoming my dearest friend, knowing practically all the battalion. I have a series of handshakes whenever I go out.


The next few days were spend in billets, the time being spent in a few parades and visiting the village, it being anything but a pleasant place owing to the amount of mud and rain.


14th


Orders to get ready to proceed to the trenches, Ev Heaton comes out to my billet/ it being an old barn, which afterword proved to be my future home for the next few months.)


PAGE 4


14th cont


We have a talk together, mostly of home affairs. Ev then proceeds to get ready to go in early, two hours later my company leave for trenches, the route taken being under water in most places make it hard walking with full pack, arrive at Ridgewood, and have a few minutes rest. Before moving into trenches, we then get on the march, on reaching the Brasserie I heard that Heaton of the M G S was killed had been hit and died at dressing station. I did not see him as we had to relieve as soon as possible, and being in a very exposed position, had to make the best speed possible to reach the wood (Bois Carre) after reaching the end of the wood, we were halted, orders not to cross the field, as snipers were busy, we lay down to make ourselves as comfortable as possible in the wet and mud, after a few minutes, S.B. Bell and Sullivan start across the field helping Thornton who had been wounded in the front line, half way across a rifle cracks, and a bullet hits the three( one in knee, one in calf & one in toe) a good shot for three hundred yards.


PAGE 5


14th cont


Sergt Somerville Sergt Bradley rush out to help them . and manage to get them under cover, then S Bo arrive and carry Thornton to DG & Sullivan to D.G. Bill only being slightly wounded. (Thronton died of wounds a few days later, Sullivan going back to Canada with a stiff knee) , we wait till dusk and then run across field to S.P, where we remained for four days, working a few hours each night. Mostly crossing the bullets making quite a snap on hitting trees, and others go singing by. I was surprised how light one treats the snap of a rifle, or the crack of a bullet, and how quick one drops on hearing a machine gun open up, a muddy and wet shell hole being the best cover available.



18th Nov


Relieved by 21st Batt and proceed to Ridgewood in reserve, the spare time spent in doing fatigues, mostly in carrying parties, in the mud, and rain. A few shells come over to remind us the the war is still on.


22nd


Back to front line to ).2. section T & G trench Lftnt Bowery HV Whittaker R Burns and I occupy advanced M Gun position, sentry duty and small fatigues being the order of the day. At night a few hours on fire stop to keep a look out over no man’s land, a few shots exchanged at intervals



PAGE 6


22nd cont


On the evening of the 24th a wiring party is ordered out to put wire in no mans Land, my relief R. Burns was ordered out, in the early morning, I heard a shout in No Man’s Land, a few minutes later, word passed that R. Burns had been shot through the heart while carrying a knife rest into position, he was buried at Ridgewood cemetery later in the day.


26th


Back to Billets at La Clete, take up my abode in the barn along with Jack and old lady Harris, this time spent the next few days in rifle and ammunition inspection, the evenings in visiting the next village, or town, one evening being spent with Tom Cotton , at Dickibusch, while at Reninghelst, I happened to see a few Liverpool Scottish, on making (---------) inquiries, find that Bert Grimshaw is with them. Jack, I & Harris go to see him, and he got quite a surprise on seeing who his visitors were.


30th


Back to S.P.7 weather not a little brighter, work consists of fixing up the trenches. A few shells come over We See a few more than usual and we take cover, a Wizz Bang hits a tree, and caused it to fall in my dug out, a few of the boys go to the cooks shanty, and a Wizz Bang hits a tree only a few feet away


PAGE 7


30th Cont


Shrapnel causing wounds to Lf Cpl Fisher, L/ Cpl Hogg. Jack Given, I bandage Fisher & Hogg, and get the bearers to take them to D Station a few hours later. I was ordered to report at D. G. to sign transfer from C.A.M.C. to 20th Infantry.


Dec 6th


Back to Ridgewood, get a few shells each day. Gibbons killed, and a few dug outs being hit. While on sentry at water tank, a German areoplane comes down, and manages to land near Dickibusch, one of the occupants beiong wounded.


12th


Back to front line, occupy new trench in Section # 13 bay, L/Cpl Hill (Pop) R.E. Harris (Old Lady) HV Whittaker (Hung Hung Terri) & I Relieve each other at fire stop. Old lady & I have great time exchanging shots with a few Germans across from us, or at Picadilly Farm.


Dec 18th


Back to billets, get rid of some of the trench mud and have the usual clean up. On the morning of the 20th a fierce bombardment by the Germans and gas is put over, orders to stand to in readiness to proceed to Ypres, the gas causes us to cough & the eyes to get very sore. Stand down comes the Huns having failed to reach our trenches.


PAGE 8


Dec 18th


The next evening heard that Peter Grenall, was billeted in Scotty’s wood, next day Jack & I & Harris go to see them, while going along the trench mats, two fellows stepped off to allow us to pass, and I received a pleasant surprise when one of them said Hello Ramsay. I turned around to see Jimmy Winstanby, He soon escorted us to Peter & Tom Greenal, that same evening we celebrated at Reninghilst, we saw them a few times after. 23rd while at church parade a few german areoplanes come over and I saw my first fight. Heavy shelling around Ypres.


24th Back in S.P. 7 a few shells drop on right sector, on hitting M.G.S. section, dug out used for cooking, blowing the cook over the parapet and seriously wounding one, and two slightly. While attempting to get the serious case down snipers lane, the party being Stretcher bearer Harry Bowyer, & Taylor and Capt Foster, after proceeding 150 yards down the road the Germans turned a M.G. on the party wounding Capt Foster and killing Harry Bowyer and Taylor, two scouts then run out, pulled the stretcher into the ditch which was full of water, and managed to get away along the hedgerow. Stretcher bearer Hinds goes out to help


PAGE 9


24th Cont.


But Bowyer only lasted a few minutes, they laid out till dusk before being able to get back to trenches. Lt Thompson throws off his clothes and proceeds down the ditch to give what help was possible, in the evening , the two bodies were brought in, and Capt Foster walked to D station, during the afternoon Capt Morkill mouted a M.G. and swept the German parafrets for over 15 minutes, the artillery sending over a good many shells, Previous to coming into the trenches we had orders not to shoot (on Christmas Day) unless the Germans got too fresh, but the majority felt like going over and killing as many as possible.



25th Christmas Day, anything but pleasant the dugout and redoubt being flooded, we have the usual breakfast bacon , and a piece of bread & a cup of tea, dinner, we had a steak & a portion of army Christmas pudding, no guns heard, a few rifle shots exchanged one of the 18th Batt killed while shouting over to the Huns.


29th Back to Ridgewood, the usual shelling, more mud, and rain, fatigues galore.


End of transcription
 
Lest we forget