My Family History

Leonard Ball - the Soldier

Extracts from Dad's war diary

This is a direct transcription of the surviving pages of the diary in which Dad recorded his experiences in the Great War. The entries are written in pencil and are badly smudged and faded in parts. Dad's words are shown in brown italicised script. My comments and additions are in black in normal script.

...afternoon, after that (I] was introduced to a troop of scouts on Thursday. Quite in my element. Also went to Theatre. [Click here for a photograph of the scout troop]

25th (March]
F. Kimble taken with appendicitis; sat up with him all night. He was taken to hospital next morning. Spent a pleasant few days here. Visited zoo, surrounding villages, Art Gallery, Museum and also few churches to see some of my stained glass.
Easter Monday was spent on the beach bathing, and Vera caught a chill.
[Click here for pictures of Vera]
We had a bathing parade every morning during our stay and I improved my swimming. Went on board the Empress of Britain on the 13th [April]. Left docks next day and anchored in harbour. Ship very dirty and food poor.
Stayed in harbour 6 days and went ashore once to get swim. Also changed blankets for new ones.

Saturday 21st [April]
Sailed early morning and had storm at night. Felt rotten before breakfast but alright after.
Passed some uninhabited islands on 26th [April] and had another storm 28th; most of the bedding got wet.

May 1st Sighted the Royal George again. Passed through a mine field on 5th [May] moved very slow. Arrived at Bombay 6th. Some went ashore but not the Oxfords.

7th [May]
Went into dock to land more troops and came out again.

9th [May]
Went ashore. Marched 5 miles to camp then back to a hospital about ½ mile to have our clothes fumigated and have a bath.

10th [May]
Had pay in Indian money. Nigger took my corn out. ... [illegible here] ... meals at Canteen 4.

12th [May]
Put on MP. easy job.
Visited Bazar on 14th. Left camp on 17th and boarded the Ezra and sailed. Arrived at Basrah 23rd and went ashore to camp 8.30pm. Here we drew kit and had medical inspection also a Fire Alarm 3.30am. (Egyptian forces - harbour Batt[ery] - have finished time - cannot go on leave so we are prepared for Trouble).
Left Basra 26th [May] and reached Qurnah by boat then on to Amarah by train where we arrived at 7am on 27th. Here we stayed 3 weeks. Saw what a dirty race the Arabs are, the Armenians are better. Food rotten. Started haircutting here.
[The next section of the transcription matches
the two pages of the diary shown left]
Embarked on
PS 35 [Patrol Ship 35] on June 16th,
only had 1 hrs notice.
17th [June] Left Armarah
and reached Kumait.
18th Stopped at Mudil
-il & Ali-al-
Gharbi & reached
Shiacks Sa'ad where
we spent next day.
20th reached Kut
& visited German General
grave, also others.
21st Called at Baghala
got aground on sand
bank.
22nd Arrived at
Azizeah [Aziziya] & smashed
my thumb while on

[continues on next page, below]


fatigues. Posted
to D Coy.
23rd [June] Very happy;
find I have 3 letters
from home, expected
more. Had my
thumb lanced;
was attend[ing] hos[pital] for 3
weeks with it.
30th Sang at my
first concert.
Found soldiering very
hard now we were with
the Regt, but keep out
of clink. Paid every
month 15 Ri [rupees - Indian currency] or £1.
Varied experiences
till we left on
Sept 15th & went [page ends here ...]
by train to Hinadia near Baghdad which we're allowed to visit every Sunday. Route marches and Field training was the main routine. Regt. expected to move about Oct 17th but I went in Hospital on 13th [Oct] with severe diarrhoea in the 108th - 2 days, 27th CFS - 1 day, and the 31st - 7 days.
From there I was transferred by river to 16th Convalescent camp where I spent one week. I was put on Dental treatment while here and had 4 teeth out and was then sent to the Rest Camp to be put on Dental treatment again.

Nov 15th
Have had 10 teeth out and am not sorry it is finished with.

18th [Nov]
Prisoners escaped. I get 21 days No.2. [punishment]
Very poor Xmas on guard at night.

20th Dec
Had last 2 teeth out; glad it is finished.

1918

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