The WWI Diary of William Henry Finch
19017---PTE. W.H. FINCH G.GDS
The front inside cover has a small pocket inside which was a theatre ticket for 11th November---could this be from the first Veterans’ Day?
Transcript of the diary:
Battle on Hill 70 ;
Damned hot ;
Festubert just warm ;
Grambell dead given up all hope of hearing from him ;
Dernier ans Last year ;
Augustine Dutoit
Marie Charles
66 Norman St N
Cotmanhay
1 Chester
Derby
_______________________________________________________
14 September 1914 – enlisted in the Grenadier Guards ;
15 – Guards depot Caterham Surrey ;
22 November – Chelsea ;
23 November – Met M & H ;
28 February 1915 – Met L.J. ;
6 March – Croydon ;
Drawing of the bay at Le Harve where William entered France ;
16 April – Béthane Below is a photo postcard of the destruction there ;
Smoldering Bethane, ignited by Bosche guns to vent their spite for their costly defeat at Festubert'. ;
18 April – Givenchy ;
11 May – Lacoutre ;
16 May – Festubert ;
18 May – Wounded in Arm ;
19 May – Beuvry ;
20 May – Letters unsure of handwriting ;
21st May – Rouen ;
1st June – Cardiff ;
15th June – Penarth ;
July – Marlow ;
15th August - Le Harve ;
17th August – St Omer Photo below shows men marching to St Omer ;
17th August – Blendecques ;
17th August – Wizernes ;
17th August – Arques ;
September - Ecques, Lambres, Aines ;
25th September – Loos ;
25th September – Hill 70 ;
26th September – Poor Yell Killed This is the first of many deaths William reports in his diary ;
29th September – Grenay ;
3rd October – Trenches again ;
4 October – Hulluch ;
6 October – Vermelles ;
7 October – Hulluch ;
8 October – Vermelles ;
10 October – Sailly ;
12 October – Hulluch ;
13 October - Sailly-Labourse ;
14 October – La Bourse ;
15 October – Hulluch alley ;
16 October – La Bourse ;
17 October – La Bourse ;
18 October – La Bourse ;
19 October – Vermelles ;
20 October – Vermelles ;
21 October - Annequin ;
22 October – Annequin near Cambrin ;
The below map illustrates areas where William’s regiment fought in the autumn of 1915 as described in his diary ;
23 October – North of Vermelles ;
24 October – Near Hohenzollen Redoute unsure of this transcription from the diary, cannot find on any maps ;
25 October – Near Hohenzollen Redoute ;
26 October – Allouagne ;
27 October – Allouagne ;
28 October – Allouagne ;
29 October – Allouagne ;
30 October – Lozinghem ;
31 October – Allouagne ;
1 November – Allouagne ;
2 November – Allouagne ;
3 November – Burbure ;
4 November – Burbure ;
5 November – Allouagne ;
6 November – Allouagne ;
7 November – Allouagne ;
8 November – Allouagne ;
9 November – Merville ;
10 November – Merville ;
11 November – Merville ;
12 November – Merville ;
13 November – Laventie ;
14 November – Laventie ;
15 November – Laventie ;
16 November – Laventie ;
17 November – Out of trenches ;
18 November – La Gorgue ;
19 November – La Gorgue ;
20-25 November – between Laventie and Epinette ;
26 November – Merville
This is the diary of W.H. Finch from WWI including a full scan of the diary with additional photographs and information
Front
Diary
A full & complete transcript with images of this war diary. Wherever possible, information was added, such as reports, internet articles, maps, photos help illustrate his diary
William Finch's WWI Diary
English
William FInch
CONTRIBUTOR
Jeremy Newson
DATE
/
LANGUAGE
eng
ITEMS
27
INSTITUTION
Europeana 1914-1918
PROGRESS
METADATA
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