10 Jan & Feb. (31 to 2) 31 Monday (31-335) 1st & 2nd months 1916

Move up to St. Anns PW.SS. - F.C. - quartered in old lighthouse with Thornton (Straits settlement man). Duties consist of passing ships in & notifying all batteries - 24 hr. shift in telephone station with 2 telephonists. The Col (FC) ne fait rien - helped by staff, officer & we two subs Infantry Guard in charge of a puffy-faced Welshman Lt. Jones. The Col. rather crotchetty but a nice old chap withal - tries to persuade me to give up the ideas of "Siege" & France -

1 Feb Tuesday (32-334)

Partridge and Pheasant Shooting ends Bethorman - Lt. ROyal Fusiliers. Dover Meyerstein - Military Cross Wrote letters while on duty in FC's cell. Has to subscribe to a confidential circular from Provost-Marshall covering many weighty matter neglect of which will help the Boches to whip us 1) Wearing of whitish ties on pins forbidden Gloves and cane to be carried always

2 Wednesday (33-333)

Purification of V. Mary, Candlemas, Scottish Quarter Day Jockey caps not to be worn except in the trenches (apparently good enough to die in) Not to register at a hotel with a woman other thans wife Should a fellow officer be drunk publicly to get him home without scandal Meeting a field officer to salute say "Good morning, sir" Not to shave the upper lip" Grand Peroration "In all ways to endeavor to justify the great honour and dignity conferred by His Majesty's Commission The Col., Lt. James, [Loe?] & I sit up until 2 am fitting together an infernal 400 piece jigsaw puzzle - truly a soldierly occupation for a grown man!

BC Archives, MS-0392 Frank Swannell Papers

Box 1 Diary and enclosures, 1916. Volume 5