Jack's Diary

The diary of Sergeant Samuel John "Jack" Drew M.M., August 1918 to January 1919.

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Name:
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Over 60, with a son 32 and a daughter 22. Retired on 26 October, 2007, after 37 years with the company. No matter, I've led an interesting life with much travel in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Region, and a little bit of Africa.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Page 28 - November 30th

Saturday Nov 30th dawned rather rainy. No Reveille this morning. Practiced in morning but spent another lazy afternoon.

Thursday Nov 30th also looked as if it might rain, after last evenings stormy rain. Not much of it, as the heaviest rain passed to the north and south of us.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Page 28 - November 29th


Friday Nov 29th dawned rainy again & continued all day. Did nothing all day except write letters.

Wednesday Nov 29th started with more unrelenting sun. We could well and truly enjoy some weather such as Jack was complaining about way back then. Today, a check-up on the new hip.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Page 27-28 - November 28th

Thursday Nov 28th Rained again, so we are having a fin run off Reveille. Had leave to Abbeville for the day. Arrived back about 10:30pm. Rainy day.

Tuesday Nov 28th looking cloudy and feeling very muggy. A few drops of water on the car this morning, but that was all. Storms much further south last evening, and are predicted for tomorrow evening, here. Hope that they eventuate.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Page 27 - November 27th

Wednesday Nov 27th Raining again, so no Reveille. Usual morning practice, & very quiet afternoon.

Monday Nov 27th started out a little cloudy. A few drops of rain last night, but that was all. A little late to the office, so had to park on the street - another reason to work out a way to work from home.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Page 27 - November 26th

Tuesday Nov 26th Raining this morning, so no Reveille. Practice during the morning & went on 12 o'clock parade, but rain hunted us in.

Sunday Nov 26th Wish we could have some of that rain that Jack was complaining about all those years ago. Very hot from very early this morning.

Page 27 - November 25th

Monday Nov 25th dawned dull and rainy. Reveille at 7:30am. Morning spent on practice. Played for ceremonial parade at 12 o'clock. Afternoon spent very lazy.

Saturday Nov 25th started out hot again. Usual Saturday stuff - stupourmarket and suchlike. Long session bucketing water to the worst affected parts of the garden in the evening.

Friday, November 24, 2006

Page 27 - November 24th

Sunday Nov 24th. No Reveille this morning. After playing the guard on, I was told to pack up & report to the 43rd Battn., as their band was in need of players, so I went over in the motor wagon to Vergies (our old village). Went to Huecourt to help 44th Band to play march past for the competing platoons. 41 st won the show.

Friday Nov 24th very hot early. Summer is a'coming in.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Page 27 - November 23rd

Saturday Nov 23rd dawned very cold, but we had to turn out at 7 am to play Reveille. Played for parades, & had to wait on parade ground to play a march past for some platoons that were going in for the Div competitions.

Thursday Nov 23rd started out very warm, and will be getting hotter by the looks of it. Should be a good day for the start of the First Ashes Test, anyway.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Page 26 - November 22nd

Friday Nov 22nd found us up at 7 am for Reveille. No parades all day. Messed about all day.

Wednesday Nov 22nd starting to feel more like summer is on the way.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Page 26 - November 21st

Thursday Nov 21st saw us up at 7:50am for breakfast, & were told that all movements had been cancelled, so after dinner we shouldered our packs & walked the 14 kilos back to Warlus & arrived dead tired.

Tuesday Nov 21st another SEQ spring day. Over to the office, to find even more undergraduate engineers here for their holiday employment and experience - the company has an arrangement with Queensland University of Technology to mentor undergraduates interested in the geotechnical side of the profession.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Page 26 - November 20th

Wednesday Nov 20th broke very mild. At 7:30am the Sergt came & told us that a Trombone player (Bigg) & myself had to pack up and report to the 3rd Pioneer Band at Liercourt so off we set, & after marching abour 14 kilos, ,through Airaines, Wonel, Sorel we eventually arrived & were welcomed byt the band, who made us comfortable etc. Played a programme in the afternoon. We were to go into Germany as a Corps band.

Note: http://www.multimap.com can help you find all these towns and villages in the far north of France.

Monday Nov 20th dawned as another superlative day which could be improved only by significant rain. Delightful Southern Queensland spring weather. Too good to be wasted on attending the office, in truth.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Page 26 - November 13th to 19th

Wednesday Nov 13th
Thursday Nov 14th
Friday Nov 15th
Saturday Nov 16th
Sunday Nov 17th
Monday Nov 18th
Tuesday Nov 19th
Were all alike. Usual Battn parades and routine.

Monday Nov 13th dawned hot and muggy. Across to the office, though not terribly keen on the idea. Again, the chair at my desk had been souveniered and replaced with something very uncoomfortable. I keep telling them they can have anything they like after I'm dead, but I am currenly only slightly incapacitated.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Page 26 - November 12th


Tuesday Nov 12th saw us up at 7 am. After breakfast, we were amalgamated with the 41st band. After parade we set to practice. Very cold day.

Sunday Nov 12th dawned clear and it is obvious that we are to have a hot one today.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Page 25 - November 11th

Monday Nov 11th saw us up at 7:15 for breakfast. Fell in and marched off to our units at Warlus, arriving at 12:30pm after scrambling on wagons & lorries. Settled down in old billets ready for the coming morning.

News of the Armistice obviously didn't arrive on the day it was signed.

Saturday Nov 11th a glorious morning. The forecast of storms in the afternoons has not been fulfilled at our place, and the moisture from the storms earlier in the week is now rapidly disappearing.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Page 25 - November 10th

Sunday Nov 10th dawned cold and clear. Marched a mob to St Firmin at 8:30. Had dinner & fell in at 3pm. Had tea & fell in again at 3:45 & marched off to Rue where we entrained for Longpre. Arrived at 11:30pm after a cold journey. Went up to Div. Reinf. Wing & camped for the night. Had a drink of cocoa when we arrived at the camp.

Anniversaries: My youngest sister's birthday today. She's in India right now.

Friday Nov 10th cloudy, but rain is only scattered and happening elsewhere.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Page 25 - November 9th

Saturday Nov 9th Broke very cold & clear with a fairly heavy frost. Usual Reveille. Played all morning for competitions of the different divisions prior to the termination of the course. Day proved to be a glorious one, with that good old sunshine, so strange to this country. Heard today that Fritz had been granted a 72 hour armistice.

Thursday Nov 9th very nice after a storm and more rain yesterday afternoon and night. Looks like more on the way. Rain in the catchments yesterday, which is encouraging.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Page 25 - November 8th

Friday Nov 8th dawned rainy again. Marched A Company down to the range on the beach. Did nothing all day. Played for concert in evening.

Wednesday Nov 8th cloudy from sun-up. Storms predicted for today.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Page 24 - November 7th

Thursday Nov 7th dawned much finer. Just the usual parades & a visit to Le Cotroy & picture show in the evening.

Tuesday Nov 7th bright and clear, after some unpredicted rain last night. Melbourne Cup day, so most of the office staff are all dressed up for a day at the races (corporate tent, schmoozing the clients). Sister should be at the airport now, back from her scrabble tournament in Auckland.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Page 24 - November 6th

Wednesday Nov 6th dawned rainy. Played Reveille, but never went on morning's parade, on account of rain. Spent morning writing letters. Went on 12 o'clock parade, but rain hunted us off. Spent afternoon in the hut.

Monday Nov 6th very bright and cloudless, and warm to boot. To good a day to be confined to an office, but a living needs to be earned.

Page 24 - November 5th

Tuesday Nov 5th dawned very rainy, so we slept in until 7:15am. Played the usual parade, & paid a visit to St Fermin. After the 2 o'clock parade we went to Le Cotroy & had a good feed.

Sunday Nov 5th saw the rain gone and the sun shining. Pottered about a bit in the garden, but generally a lazy day.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Page 24 - November 4th

Monday Nov 4th Three years today since I went into Enogerra (sic) & how well I remember it all. Three years, & here I am writing by the light of a canddel stuck in the top of a beer bottle, in the Sergts Mess of an Austln Corps School. The usual old routine of parades & picture show.

Note: Jack really meant to say Enoggera.

Saturday Nov 4th started out with light rain, and it has been raining all day- occasionally heavily. Yesterday, fitted diverters to all downpipes, and the hoses have been flowing onto the driest parts of the garden. Mum is with us, as today is the first day of play in the Scrabble Trans-Tasman Invitational Challenge and my sister is one of the 12 Australian contestants.