Frank Swannell Diaries: Part I
Diaries of Frank Cyril Swannell Learn more.
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BC Archives MS-0392 - Box 1, Volume 4-5
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Billets Essars-Lez-Bethune
Paraded for Court Martial sentence "__ Pte ___, ___, charged with theft, pleaded not guilty, found not guilty. Charged with being drunk while on active service. Pleaded guilty, found guilty--sentence of court was two years imprisonment with hard labor Read by adjutant in hollow square Prisoner under corporals guard Cap pulled off during reading Sorry for for this man - weak face
Other prisoner one year for "refusing to obey an order and being absent from parade" - Same man given 30 days "Field Punishment No 1" 3 weeks ago Very little artillery fire today
Went for swim in Aire Canal - Dinner chez les Denoeds with Sgt Neville, Campbell, Donaldson
The Denoeds - old man talks of Mars-Le-Tour & Gravelotte - Mme very tired & worked out - Boy 32 - corporal -- blesse, pres de Dunkerque -- Prisonnier 6 mois Mlle 28 - little boy 2 by French captain, killed
Still in billets
Find garbled accounts of "Orchard Affair" in Winnipeg paper - "Colonist" May 23rd -- Led into action, forsooth, by Turner, & Currie.
Note that 'suffering from shock' is how they let an an officer down - Cowardice in a private to have nerves - Adjutant's horse takes to the ditch to escape m. transport & we nearly have the delectable spectacle of the Col. in the canal
Grand review - Battalion, company, & section drill.
Back to the machine gun section under Corp Scougal "for educational purposes" - Have a feed of strawberries & cream - 18 sous la livre
Building with clock turret in Bethune Market dates from 1338.
Visit Pete at 15th encampment -- Shown huge stack of High Explosive shell 18 pds. --
BC Archives, MS-0392 Box 1 Volume 4 / FRANK SWANNELL PAPERS / Diary and enclosures, 1915.