Syd Bland, my grandfather, joined the Welsh Guards in the Spring of 1915 and was posted to the front line of the French/Belgium border. His diary, which I transcribed, recounts his experiences from August 17, 1915 to December 6, 1916. || WWI diary transcription

Text and images, 20 pages

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