Tommy's War: A First World War Diary 1913-1918

by Thomas Cairns Livingstone

  Thursday, 28 June

  Fine sunny day. Wind a trifle chilly. In the forenoon I took car to Lambhill and walked along canal to Cadder, then on to Bishopbriggs and car home.59 In the afternoon I went to Bellahouston Park. Spent the night getting ready for Lamlash. Andrew came up to see me at night for a little. He is not long for this country. American troops landed in France.

  Friday, 29 June

  Rose at an unearthly hour, 5.30 a.m., and then we got train from St Enoch 8.10 a.m. to Ardrossan and Glen Sannox to Arran.60 We met all the Croziers at St Enoch. And we filled a compartment. Scorching hot day. Got there safely, no mines or U-boats encountered. British encircling Lens.

  Saturday, 30 June

  Another brilliant hot day. Loafed about Arran. Took Daisy out in a small boat. Having a great time.

  Sunday, 1 July

  Very warm day. Took a walk towards Whiting Bay in forenoon.

  Monday, 2 July

  Very hot, sunny day. My holidays are over now. Rose at 5.30 and got 6.40 boat to Ardrossan. Arrived in St Enoch at 9.15 a.m. Agnes and Tommy not coming home for a few days yet. Felt very sad. Had lunch in town. Could not settle down at night. So took a walk to Ruglen. Came home and wrote to Agnes. Great Russian offensive started: 10,000 prisoners.

  Tuesday, 3 July

  I will be pleased when we are all united once more.

  Wednesday, 4 July

  German aeroplanes raid Harwich. About 11 killed. Russians capture another 8,000.

  Thursday, 5 July

  Fine sunny day. Got a letter and postcard from my well-beloved. They are coming home on Friday. Two of the raiding Hun aeroplanes brought down last night.

  Friday, 6 July

  Met Agnes and Tommy at St Enoch 6.15 p.m., both looking well. Tommy with half his nose knocked off with a fall somewhere in Arran. In case I would die of overjoy, Duncan visited us at night. British have captured the past year 70,000 Germans. Old British destroyer mined in North Sea.

  Saturday, 7 July

  We all went out for a little in the afternoon. We saw an aeroplane on our way home. No bombs dropped. Great German aeroplane raid over London: 57 killed and about 200 injured. Several of the aeroplanes shot down. French submarine sunk by German U-boat.

  Sunday, 8 July

  Bright sunny day, but very windy and dusty. Took my usual walk to Queen’s Park before breakfast. After dinner we all went out the Carmunnock Road and back by Cathcart. After tea we favoured Queen’s Park. Great French air raid over German towns, including Essen, where Krupps is.

  Monday, 9 July

  Working late at night. British destroyer torpedoed in North Sea. Another Russian rush: 7,000 prisoners taken.

  Tuesday, 10 July

  Feeling vigorous after her holiday, Agnes spent the day in the wash-house. I took a walk around 100 Acre Dyke at night. British armed trawler Iceland fights two German seaplanes, knocks them down and captures the four occupants in North Sea.

  Wednesday, 11 July

  We all went to the Palace at night, seeing it’s near the Fair.61 Russians still advance in Galicia. Capture of Halicz. Austrian troops in flight. Germans shove the British back on Belgian coast at River Yser. British naval air raid on Turks. Constantinople bombed.

  Friday, 13 July

  Seeing it is Fair Friday, I got away at 1 p.m. and don’t get back till Tuesday morning. We all went to the shows in the Green in the afternoon and admired the sights.62 I spent about 10d at game and won 2d. We all went to the Palace at night, last house.

  Saturday, 14 July

  Beautiful day of sunshine. Very warm. After dinner we took car to Cowglen Road then went to Crookston Castle.63 We all climbed to the top and had a good view. Took car home by Paisley Road. Cars very busy. Got home at 7.45 p.m. British transport Armadale torpedoed in Atlantic by U-boat. 11 lives lost. British Battleship Vanguard blown up in harbour. Over 600 lives lost.

  Sunday, 15 July

  After dinner we all walked to Ruglen and took car home. After tea we all went to Queen’s Park and admired the view from the flag pole. King and Queen visit troops at the front in France.

  Monday, 16 July

  We took a walk to town in the afternoon and I called in at the library. After tea we all went to the Palace, and so my Fair holidays are ended.

  Tuesday, 17 July

  Josephine, father, Lily and Isa all here at night. Nellie in for a little. The King changes his family name to Windsor.64 British destroyers capture four German merchant boats.

  Wednesday, 18 July

  Agnes made gooseberry jam at night.

  Thursday, 19 July

  Potatoes are now down to ¼ per stone.

  Friday, 20 July

  Tobacco (thick black) is now down to 6d per oz.

  Saturday, 21 July

  This is flag day for the wounded. In the afternoon we all went to town and saw the Procession in Aid of the Wounded.

  Selling flags on Soldier’s Day, 1917.

  Sunday, 22 July

  Brilliant day of sunshine and terrific heat. After dinner we took car to the Dalmarnock Bridge and walked up the Clyde to Cambuslang, then took the car home.65 German aeroplane drops bombs on Harwich. 13 killed.

  Monday, 23 July

  We all went to Greenlodge Terrace at night. Got home 11.40 p.m. Siam declares war on Germany and Austria. Greece evidently has also joined us.

  Tuesday, 24 July

  We went to the Palace at night and saw Charlie Chaplin etc.66 Russia losing all the ground it won through desertion and mutiny. The Women’s Battalion fight well and take 100 German prisoners.67

  Charlie Chaplin with Edna Purviance in The Fireman.

  Wednesday, 25 July

  Agnes in the wash-house all day. The government is going to give us the 4½d loaf. God save the King.

  Thursday, 26 July

  Big guns raging in Flanders, Roumanian offensive started. Russian retreat continued. British armed cruiser Otway sunk in North Sea by U-boat, 10 lives lost. British submarine C34 sunk by U-boat. The one survivor taken prisoner.

  Friday, 27 July

  Agnes up all last night with neuralgia, and she got it the night again. Here’s luck!68 French heavily attacked north of the Aisne. U-boat grounds off Calais. Crew taken prisoner and U-boat destroyed.

  Saturday, 28 July

  Lily and her boy, John Martin, who is in the ASC, dropped in to see us late in the evening.69 John is going soon to France. The British army is now 6½ million men (home 5½, overseas 1 million), navy 500,000 men. It’s great!!

  Sunday, 29 July

  Got up in the early morning for my walk. Saw Mr Carmichael so we went to Queen’s Park and went into his estate there and admired the turnips, cabbages, potatoes, onions etc.70 We visited Sam at night. British and French captures since the Battle of the Somme, July 1916: 3,500 German officers, 165,000 men, 948 heavy and field guns, 780 trench mortars, 2,500 machine guns.

  Monday, 30 July

  Took a walk at night to Langside Library.71 British submarine captures German merchant boat in North Sea. Japanese destroyer sinks U-boat in Mediterranean. The terrific cannonade in Flanders continues, the biggest of the war. It is heard in London. Perhaps we are going to do something.

  Tuesday, 31 July

  At last, great British and French offensive in Flanders on a wide front. Good progress being made. British cruiser Ariadne torpedoed by U-boat. 38 lives lost.

  Wednesday, 1 August

  Hot, blazing day. At evening, Agnes, Tommy and I took car to Ruglen, walked up to the woods and had a seat therein. We spoke to Mina Henderson and Jessie Keith at Burnside. Took 9.12 train from there to Mount Florida and walked home. Big push doing well. We capture over 6,000 prisoners and 10 villages. The ‘tanks’ do great work.

  Thursday, 2 August

  Cleaned all les fenêtres ce soir.72 Potatoes are down to 10d a stone and as many as you want. Only 21 boats sunk last week.

  Friday, 3 August

  Gas man here today to examine our gas m
eter (I complained re same). He says its day is done and we are to get a new one (some day). Got my ‘hair that will soon be grey’ cut tonight. First phase of the big push finish. We regain lost ground.

  Saturday, 4 August

  After tea we all went to Shawlands via Queen’s Park and walked back to Mount Florida by the banks of the Cart. Three years ago today Britain declared war on Germany and so saved the world.

  Sunday, 5 August

  After tea we took car to Sighthill Cemetery but to our sorrow it was shut. My grief was not so great as Agnes’. We came back by Parliamentary Road. China decides to fight Germany and Austria.

  Wednesday, 8 August

  Liberia declares war on Germany.

  Thursday, 9 August

  This is Tommy’s birthday, some dumpling was made in honour of the occasion. I brought him home the game of ‘quoits’. Ten years ago today I joined the Scottish Clerks Association.73

  Friday, 10 August

  Man up today and left in a new gas meter. Chemical work blown up in London. 13 women killed.

  Saturday, 11 August

  Man in today from Gas Company and took away the new meter. It was left here by mistake.

  Sunday, 12 August

  After dinner I took a walk into Walls Street and spoke love to the folk who sell us gas.74 NBG. We all went to Ibrox at night.

  Monday, 13 August

  Have decided to mend the sofa and so laid bare the springs tonight. I will finish it ‘quelque fois’.75 German aeroplanes raid Margate and Southend. 32 killed, about 50 injured. Two raiders brought down.

  Tuesday, 14 August

  Started to the couch at night. With the valuable assistance of Agnes I put some new bands under the springs. British destroyer mined in North Sea. Since the war began, 8,748 lives have been lost in merchant vessels.

  Wednesday, 15 August

  Finished the inside work of the couch. Got my calling up notice this morning from the military. I have to join up on 28 August. Woe and woe and lamentations. Mr Baxter has got the lawyer to appeal, as he does not want to lose a good man. China at war now with Germany and Austria. American troops in London.

  Thursday, 16 August

  The Pope wants peace.

  Sunday, 19 August

  Big railway strike threatened. Government forbids it.

  Monday, 20 August

  Started to mend the big easy chair tonight. Tommy got new pair of boots, 12/6. Big French offensive on Verdun front. Success on 11-mile front. British advance slightly at Ypres. Italian offensive on 37-mile front. Tram car smash at Dover.76 10 killed. Big munition disaster in Canada.

  Cheering on troops of American soldiers as they parade through London, 15 August, 1917.

  Tuesday, 21 August

  Finished the big chair tonight. Titanic battle raging on Italian front of 40 miles. Austrians captured now number 10,000. 208 Italian aeroplanes assist, and 5,000 big guns, including French and British batteries. French capture 5,000 at Verdun. Italian aeroplane sinks U-boat in the Adriatic. Great fire at Salonica.

  Wednesday, 22 August

  Children’s party here tonight. Sam’s family, viz. Ina, Jennie and John, here. Played various games etc. Zeppelin raid in Yorkshire. Aeroplane raid in Dover etc. About 11 killed. Eight aeroplanes shot down by us. British naval forces shoot down a Zeppelin off Jutland coast. No survivors. Searchlights blazing over us at nights now.

  A German Zeppelin is caught in spotlights as it hovers menacingly over a British city.

  Thursday, 23 August

  We all went to Greenlodge at night. Italians have now captured 17,000 men. French have captured 7,000. British fighting for Lens. Another poor week for the U-boat pirates.

  Friday, 24 August

  Seeing that I’ll soon be a ‘sojer’, we all went to the Palace tonight. Terrific battle still raging on Italian front. It appears to be the biggest battle of the war. British pegging away at Lens.

  Saturday, 25 August

  Very windy day. Some heavy rain. A little chilly at night. We lit the fire. We all took a walk to Mount Florida after tea. Since 9 April to 25 August total number of enemy prisoners taken by Allies is 167,780. Since the war began, the British have captured 131,776. British prisoners in enemy hands number about 56,500. Hoch, hoch.

  Sunday, 26 August

  Went down to the quay and looked at the boats in the afternoon. We have one or two left yet, I see. The great Italian battle continues. Over 20,000 of the enemy now captured. Rumours that the German High Fleet is coming out. Speed the day.

  Monday, 27 August

  Started to renovate the ‘rocker’at night.77 Agnes in the wash-house at night.

  Tuesday, 28 August

  Mrs Gordon here in afternoon to see if I was away in the army. I wasn’t. Duncan here at night to see if I had any word about the army. I hadn’t. He gave Tommy a shilling for his last birthday. Did a little chair work. Tommy very sick at night. Agnes made plum jam today. Great Italian victory. Monte Santo taken.

  Wednesday, 29 August

  Did more work with chair. Tommy all right again. Sam up for a little to see if I had any news from the army. I hadn’t. A female representative from the Kirk up tonight. We have a new minister. How nice.

  Thursday, 30 August

  Did some work on rocking chair and cleaned room windows. Our new gas meter arrives at last. Russians still running away. British monitors shell Austrian positions.

  Saturday, 1 September

  Butter is now ¾ per pound. Italy has captured 27,300 prisoners since the offensive began. British bag for the month of August: 7,279 prisoners.

  Sunday, 2 September

  Maxwell up seeing us tonight. He is in the OTC.78 Naval scrap off Jutland. British destroyers sink four German minesweepers.

  Monday, 3 September

  Tommy starts school again today. ‘Food Controller’ takes charge of beef etc. from tomorrow. Riga district abandoned by the Russians. German aeroplane over Dover, one death. City of Athens (City Line) mined near Cape Town.

  Tuesday, 4 September

  Man up to see if new gas meter was working all right. He said flow of gas to stove was too much, so he remedied that little defect. Terrible air raid on Thames: Chatham and Sheerness bombed. Naval barracks struck. 130 naval men killed, about 100 injured. Pola bombed by Italians. Bruges bombed by British.

  Wednesday, 5 September

  Warm sunny day. We all went to the Palace at night. When we got home, two females from the church came in. They wanted a donation to give the new minister a new robe. We donated. I’ll be needing a new coat this winter. Who’ll donate? German aeroplane over London, 19 killed, about 60 injured. Germans enter Riga. Russians in full retreat.

  Thursday, 6 September

  Man called today and took old gas meter away. Scarborough shelled by U-boat. Three killed, five injured. German Fleet in Gulf of Riga. The Russians are messing the war.79

  Friday, 7 September

  This is the night Cormacks flitted, so I went to do some work. Got home at midnight. Counted five searchlights in the sky at night. Saw an aeroplane.

  Saturday, 8 September

  After tea I had a walk to Queen’s Park and a look in at the aristocratic library of Pollokshields.80 Agnes put up the bed hangings, room and kitchen. Went into the shop to buy a ‘churchwarden’, but found them a thing of the past.81 Germans start to bombard hospitals with intent.

  Sunday, 9 September

  Duncan up for me today at 10.30 a.m. We took car to Cathcart and walked from there to Ballagioch.82 Very hot day, strong sunshine. So we took the motor back from Eaglesham. We thought it was a Zeppelin, as it is driven by gas.83 Italy’s captures are now about 30,000. Sweden getting into trouble with us for giving information about ships to Germany.

  Monday, 10 September

  After tea we went to the Palace, seeing I’m not in the army yet. Serious news from Russia. Kerensky (prime minister) and Korniloff (commander of army) fall out.84 We’ll get on with the war someday
.