The 1918 Wartime Diary of Private Charles Robert Bottomley

June 1, 1918 -- Got up at 6 a.m. Worked around gun until breakfast. Had breakfast. Cleaned buttons, washed and shaved ready for Major's inspection. After parade had a musketry course until 11 a.m. In the afternoon, the brigade held sports in a field close by. At night, took a walk to the Y.M.C.A. and then retired.

June 2, 1918 -- Got up at 6 a.m. Worked around the gun until breakfast. Cleaned up and polished buttons for a Colonel's inspection. Colonel Piery O.B. of the Brigade inspected before church service. Had service and then did stable work. In the afternoon and night took things easy.

June 3, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Worked around gun and limbers until breakfast. After breakfast had some musketry and gun training until dinnertime. Afternoon more musketry training. Night laid around for a little while and had a walk to the Y.M.C.A.

June 4, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Worked around the gun until breakfast. Parade 9 a.m. and then had a musketry lesson. In the afternoon, marched to the ranges and had rifle practice at a 200 yard range. Fired 25 rounds and then went back to the horse lines. Had supper and then went to bed.

June 5, 1918 -- Reveille at 4:45 a.m. The battery left the horse lines for 48 hours maneuvers behind the danger zone. We were going in action and maneuvers around all day. Pulled in a field and slept under the gun limber during the night and it was very chilly.

June 6, 1918 -- Reveille at 4:45. Worked around the gun until breakfast. We went into action until dinnertime. Pulled out at 1 p.m. Went into action late in the afternoon till 6:30. Pulled out and returned to our original lines. The whole thing was a farce, the officers not knowing their business.

June 7, 1918 -- Got up at 6 a.m. Worked around gun. After parade, we had physical drill. Also gun drill till dinnertime. In the afternoon, working around gun and limbers. Had a walk to the Y.M.C.A. at night.

June 8, 1918 -- Working around lines and musketry morning and afternoon. At night, took a walk to the Y.M.C.A. canteen.

June 9, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Cleaning around gun and limbers until dinnertime. In the afternoon, we were off parade until 4 p.m. At night, laid around tent. Fritz was bombing around the vicinity.

June 10, 1918 -- Reveille 4 a.m. Fixed up gun and limbers to be ready to proceed on battery maneuvers in the country. Left wagon lines and made our way to Tincques. We had maneuvers training going in and coming out of action all day. Arrived back at the lines about 6 p.m. Had a very good day.

June 11, 1918 -- Reveille at 5 a.m. Cleaning around gun until breakfast. After breakfast, we went on the roads again for battery maneuvers training for a big open scrap that we expect to pull off in a few weeks time. We had a very good day and the weather is certainly good.

June 12, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Working around the gun and limbers until dinnertime. In the afternoon, we had no parades on account of the brigade holding sports. At night, had to mount guard to guard the gun and limbers.

June 13, 1918 -- On guard during the day. Was relieved at 6 o'clock at night. Went to the Y.M.C.A. at night and had a feed of eggs and chips.

June 14, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Cleaning around gun. After breakfast, we had inspection and gun laying all day. Night took a walk to Y.M.C.A.

June 15, 1918 -- Working around gun all day. We have been having great weather while out on rest. The only fault to find, the eats were very small and would be very hungry only for boxes from the people at home and the Y.M.C.A. canteen.

June 16, 1918 -- Working around gun, laying and cleaning all day. At night, went to the Y.M.C.A. Received two boxes.

June 17, 1918 -- Having a little gun practice. Also cleaning and working around the lines. In the afternoon, I went to the Division show held in a field near Tincques. It was a great sight to see the bands and the boys running.

June 18, 1918 -- Reveille 5 a.m. Got everything ready maneuvers. Left horse lines about 8 a.m. and went in the country for battery maneuvers all day. Got back to the horse lines about 6 p.m.

June 19, 1918 -- Working around lines all day, cleaning guns and limbers. At night, took the gun to the ordinance works to be overhauled in a village called Savuy. Slept in an old barn during the night.

June 20, 1918 -- Got up at 7 a.m. Had a good breakfast. Went to the shops and was helping the antifirer to pull the gun to pieces until 5:30 p.m. We certainly got fed pretty good.

June 21, 1918 -- Up at 7 a.m., working on the gun again at the shops. We had the gun finished by night. After overhauling her we had a very good dinner and supper.

June 22, 1918 -- Up at 7 a.m. and had breakfast. Went to the shops and waited for the teams to pull out. The guns arrived at the wagon lines about 10:30 p.m. Working around gun in the afternoon. At night on guard.

June 23, 1918 -- On guard all day around gun park. A pretty monotonous day. At night took a walk to Berles to the Y.M.C.A.

June 24, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Working around gun until breakfast. In the morning and afternoon gun laying in the park. At night took a walk to the Y.M.C.A.

June 25, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. During the day, a few of us were gun laying. At night took a walk to Savvy.

June 26, 1918 -- Reveille 6 a.m. Left horse lines at 8.30 a.m. for field maneuvers. Trying to work out experiments with flying plane and battery. During the afternoon, we had our pictures taken. At night, I took a walk to Aubigny to the Divisional concert along with Stocks and Grims.

June 27, 1918 -- Working around gun park all day. At night went to Aubigny in a GS wagon with a crowd of the battery boys to a concert.

June 28, 1918 -- Working around gun park all day. Things very quiet all day. At night, Fritz dropped a few bombs not far away.

June 29, 1918 -- Working around gun park most of the day. A lot of the boys took sick with the grip. The same kind of sickness was effecting the German troops. Fritz was around bombing.

June 30, 1918 -- Working around line all day. At night, took a walk to Lincques.