Description
Object description
Three ms diaries covering the periods June 1915 - October 1916 (148pp), October 1916 - April 1918 (226pp) and April 1918 - May 1919 (240pp), together with a ms transcription of the original diaries (239pp, transcribed in 1968 - 1969 and ocassionally summarises some points, and provides additional interesting comments), written by an employee of the YMCA, with details about applying for the YMCA from Queen's College, Cambridge, due to poor health debarring him from active service (September 1915), being unpaid but receiving maintenance, engaged in canteen work on Le Havre docks, appointed YMCA Welfare Officer at the Military Hospital for Venereal Diseases near Le Havre (November 1915 - February 1916), leaving the hospital to take charge of a Young Soldier's Club affiliated to a Convalescent Camp near Le Havre (February - April 1916), moving to a YMCA at Acheux near the Front in the Third Army Area (April - November 1916) making him one of the closest civilians to the front line during the Battle of the Somme, moving to St Pol (November 1916 - January 1917), moving to Arras (January - March 1917) and returning to St Pol, employed on clerical duties, touring YMCA posts in the Third Army Area and Paris, being stationed at Albert (May 1917 - March 1918), details of German air raids behind British lines, the German offensive of March 1918, working in the same towns as the Third Army HQ (April - September 1918), moving to Doullens and then from October to the Armistice in Caudry, falling ill with Spanish Influenza (November 1918), recovering and returning to England (December 1918), moving between London, Lancaster, and a period of teaching at a preparatory school in Wokingham, Surrey. The diaries are particularly interesting for his remarks on conscientious objectors, the incidence of venereal disease among the BEF, the high command and British military intelligence.
Content description
Three ms diaries covering the periods June 1915 - October 1916 (148pp), October 1916 - April 1918 (226pp) and April 1918 - May 1919 (240pp), together with a ms transcription of the original diaries (239pp, transcribed in 1968 - 1969 and ocassionally summarises some points, and provides additional interesting comments), written by an employee of the YMCA, with details about applying for the YMCA from Queen's College, Cambridge, due to poor health debarring him from active service (September 1915), being unpaid but receiving maintenance, engaged in canteen work on Le Havre docks, appointed YMCA Welfare Officer at the Military Hospital for Venereal Diseases near Le Havre (November 1915 - February 1916), leaving the hospital to take charge of a Young Soldier's Club affiliated to a Convalescent Camp near Le Havre (February - April 1916), moving to a YMCA at Acheux near the Front in the Third Army Area (April - November 1916) making him one of the closest civilians to the front line during the Battle of the Somme, moving to St Pol (November 1916 - January 1917), moving to Arras (January - March 1917) and returning to St Pol, employed on clerical duties, touring YMCA posts in the Third Army Area and Paris, being stationed at Albert (May 1917 - March 1918), details of German air raids behind British lines, the German offensive of March 1918, working in the same towns as the Third Army HQ (April - September 1918), moving to Doullens and then from October to the Armistice in Caudry, falling ill with Spanish Influenza (November 1918), recovering and returning to England (December 1918), moving between London, Lancaster, and a period of teaching at a preparatory school in Wokingham, Surrey. The diaries are particularly interesting for his remarks on conscientious objectors, the incidence of venereal disease among the BEF, the high command and British military intelligence.
History note
Cataloguer VR