The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

A transcript of: The 1918 Personal Diary of Percy W. Rainbow

Regimental Number: G66930 Home Address: 4 Albatross Street, Plumstead, SE18 Corps: 22 nd London Regiments “Queens” Company: B Section: Signals

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 1st January Tuesday 2nd January Wednesday 3rd January Thursday Divine service for draft in morning at Chiseldon 1 4th January Friday 5th January Saturday

1 http://www.chiseldonlhg.org.uk/the-camp.html 2 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 6th January Sunday 7th January Monday 8th January Tuesday Left Chiseldon Camp 8.30am. On board “Duchess of Argyll” 2 3at 6pm. 9th January Wednesday Arrived in at 8.30am, in Camp at 11.30am. 10th January Thursday France 11 th January Friday France 12 th January Saturday France

Image c.1935

2 https://www.dalmadan.com/?p=814

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS_Duchess_of_Montrose 3 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 13 th January Sunday Started job as officers ba tman 4. Went on pass to Le Harvre 5 14 th January Monday 15 th January Tuesday Le Havre 16 th January Wednesday Went to of.M [officers mess] in evening “Importance of being Earnest”. 17 th January Thursday Le Havre 18 th January Friday Le Havre 19 th January Saturday Left Le Havre for the Batt @ 1pm

4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_(military) 5 https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battlefields/gazetteer-of-the-western-front/gazetteer-of-the-western-front- le-havre-and-harfleur-base/

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 20 th January Sunday Arrived at @ 11.30am 21 st January Monday Left Floringhem for Trevillers. Billeted in barn 22 nd January Tuesday Had signalling test at Trevillers 23 rd January Wednesday Parades, practising attack, with company 24 th January Thursday Ditto 25 th January Friday Ditto 26 th January Saturday Ditto

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 27 th January Sunday Church parade 28 th January Monday Parades with Coy 6 29 th January Tuesday Left Trevillers for tunnelling Coy . Arrived at Ridge 7 midnight. Billeted in old German dugout. 30 th January Wednesday Reveille 4 a.m. Went repairing dugout at Vimy Ridge. 6am till 2 pm. To in evening. 31 st January Thursday Working on the M.G. 8 emplacement to R.E 9rest camp in evening. Billeted in canteen. 1st February Friday Re -joined batt at Curragh Camp. Billeted in small dugouts 2nd February Saturday Out on wiring party. 1st letter from home received today.

6 Coy is short for Company 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vimy_Ridge 8 M.G possibly Major General 9 Royal Engineers 6 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 3rd February Sunday Wiring 4th February Monday Wiring 5th February Tuesday Rec’d letters. Wrote Bert Clara 6th February Wednesday Wiring 7th February Thursday One days rest 8th February Friday Moved to another camp, Rounday 9th February Saturday Wrote Dave Home

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 10 th February Sunday 11 th February Monday Transferred to Signals 12 th February Tuesday Signalling practice 13 th February Wednesday Move up the line. S.O.S post in front line (Towy XXX) 14 th February Thursday Line 15 th February Friday Line 16 th February Saturday Dave & Home

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 17 th February Sunday Home & Ruby 18 th February Monday Back to Rounday Camp 19 th February Tuesday Rounday 20 th February Wednesday Rounday 21 st February Thursday To St Aubin 10 22 nd February Friday St Aubin 23 rd February Saturday St Aubin

10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzin-Saint-Aubin

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 24 th February Sunday Walked to Maroeuil 11 25 th February Monday Wrote Bert 26 th February Tuesday Inspection by Maj Ghs Dudgen (?) 12 . Home & Dave. 27 th February Wednesday Up the line Water point S.O.S post Coldstream guards raid on our right front midnight 12.25. 28 th February Thursday Line 1st March Friday Line 2nd March Saturday Line

11 https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/11800/maroeuil-british-cemetery/ 12 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030000201 (possibly the Major General [Dudgeon]in question) 10 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 3rd March Sunday 4th March Monday Line 5th March Tuesday Back to Rounday 6th March Wednesday Rounday 7th March Thursday Roundhay 8th March Friday Rounday 9th March Saturday Under open arrest for 10 minutes for missing practice shunt up green line.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 10 th March Sunday Roundhay 11 th March Monday J.a.s.R Moved to St Aubin 12 th March Tuesday Back to Roundhay as sweating on German attack. Billeted in Baths 13 th March Wednesday Stand to at Roundhay 14 th March Thursday Back to St Aubin 15 th March Friday St Aubin 16 th March Saturday St Aubin

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 17 th March Sunday St Aubin 18 th March Monday Up the line again on “water point” 19 th March Tuesday Did “Stag” 13 all night Home 20 th March Wednesday Line bombarded 5AM – 9AM Wrote Clara 21 st March Thursday Line 22 nd March Friday Out to Post 23 rd March Saturday Ret’d from Gavrelle Post

13 STAG means to stand guard or keep watch 13 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 24 th March Sunday Gav. Post found to have been raided. 25 th March Monday 2 dead bodies found there. Back to Roundhay Camp. 27 th March Tuesday Wrote home, Dav e ( P.C.) 14 Camp shelled in evening. 28 th March Wednesday Up to “Red house” on Oppy Sector @ about 9pm. 28 th March Thursday After heavy barrage 3am – 8am, Fritz attacks in massed formation all day/battle follows. 29 th March Friday Back to Roundhay Camp at 3pm. 30 th March Saturday To Rochincourt West Camp 15 XX to St Eloy.

14 P.C. possibly Post Card 15 Possibly Roclincourt, North of 14 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 31 st March Sunday To Mont St Eloy 1st April Monday Mont St Eloy To Bow Bells Concert XXX 2nd April Tuesday Mont St Eloy 16 3rd April Wednesday Mont St Eloy Home. 4th April Thursday Mont St Eloy Home Clara Sent souvenir home 5th April Friday St Eloy (Bert) 6th April Saturday St Eloy

16 Possibly Mont-Saint Eloi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont-Saint-%C3%89loi 15 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 7th April Sunday St Eloy 8th April Monday Left St Eloy for 9th April Tuesday Dainville Trench digging XXX 10 th April Wednesday Dainville 11 th April Thursday Dainville shelled house opposite our billet Blown in on to hut. 12 th April Friday Dainville On parades, signalling 13th April Saturday Dainville Parade & afternoon off

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 14 th April Sunday Moved up to Arras Caves 17 in evening. 15 th April Monday At the caves 16 th April Tuesday Sent digging cable Trench by 18 Caves 17 th April Wednesday Caves Digging trenches by night often under shell fire 18 th April Thursday Digging common trench Up the line at night 19 th April Friday Left caves & moved into line on Tilloy/Beaurain s front On S.O.S post in front Tilloy Wood 20 th April Saturday Line

17 http://www.explorearras.com/en/wellington-tunnels.html 18 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaurains 17 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 21 st April Sunday Line 22 nd April Monday Line 23 rd April Tuesday Line Boche prisoner given himself up to our advanced post 24 th April Wednesday Line 25 th April Thursday 17 Coy (Company) make bombing raid on Hun outpost 26 th April Friday Line 27 th April Saturday Line

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 28 th April Sunday Down line by Dainville, marched through Arras arriving Dainville 29 th April Monday by 2.30am. Dainville 30 th April Tuesday To for bath. 1st May Wednesday Dainville 2nd May Thursday Dainville To Bow Bells in afternoon 3rd May Friday Dainville 4th May Saturday Batt. Moves up the line & I go back to transport for pigeon course.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 5th May Sunday Reported in evening to DW H. Q. 6th May Monday By lorry to Wagnonlieu pigeon lofts. Lecture on pigeon service in general. 19 7th May Tuesday To Wagnonlieu again. Out flying pigeons from an O.F to loft. Marking out messages etc. 8th May Wednesday Wrote essay on pigeon course which terminates today. 9th May Thursday DWHQ 10 th May Friday DWHQ 11 th May Saturday Returned to battery. In the line on left of Tilloy woods by Arras – Cambrai Road.

19 https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-incredible-carrier-pigeons-of-the-first-world-war 20 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 12 th May Sunday Doing gas guards. 13 th May Monday Gas guards. Rations to front line. Water cans to coach house down A – C Road. 14 th May Tuesday Ditto 15 th May Wednesday Ditto 16 th May Thursday Down line to transport at Berneville by R.L frontier wagon +9.8 wagons at 2.30 in morning. 17 th May Friday 3 weeks course at D.S.H.Q Warlus Reported @ D. H.Q. 18 th May Saturday Digging cable. Trench DHQ “Bowbells” in evening 20

20 Possible reference to Bow Bells Concert Evening. “The Bow Belles concert party of 56th (London) Division” https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-wartime-leisure-and-entertainment 21 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 19 th May Sunday Ch 21 . parade in Bow bell XXX 20 th May Monday Signalling parades 21 st May Tuesday Parades 22 nd May Wednesday Cricket match. Air raid. Be rneville bombed. Div canteen nearly hit. 23 rd May Thursday Parades 24 th May Friday Parades 25 th May Saturday Parades Afternoon free Cinema in evening

21 Ch. Short for Church 22 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 26 th May Sunday Splinter proofing. 27 th May Monday Parades and splinter proofing. Cinema. 28 th May Tuesday Parades 29 th May Wednesday Parades 30 th May Thursday Ditto 31 st May Friday Ditto 1st June Saturday Ditto Played Div. Sig Coy @ cricket. Lost 10 for 23, 6-72

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 2nd June Sunday Ch. Parade Be rneville 3rd June Monday Parades as per 4th June Tuesday Parades as per 5th June Wednesday Parades as per 6th June Thursday (On Wednesday) On Div. visual Stn. At Wagnonlieu to Warlus 22 2pm – 2am. Lamp. Helio & flag. 7th June Friday Free all day (see Thursday) … of previous days scheme. Had THEORY EXAM 72/97 8th June Saturday Visual etc tests Cinema in evening.

22 https://www.ww1cemeteries.com/warlus-churchyard.html 24 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 9th June Sunday Returned to Batt in evening with rations. 10 th June Monday Blangy 23 support between Ronville and Tilloy Wood. 11 th June Tuesday Line. To Ronville 24 for water per light truck. 12 th June Wednesday L.A.B raid at 3 in afternoon. Watched smoke barrage from Blangy trench. 13 th June Thursday Usual routine work. To Ronville for water. Shell nearly got us on track not quite though! 14 th June Friday To College Batts (wrote Dave) Arras. Jerry XXX salvoes of 4.2’s on battery position near our road. 15 th June Saturday Usual routine. Had test message At 13’s sent through on phone by Sgt using. 3 mistakes. Good.

23 https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/26101 24 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1917) 25 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

Images of two newspaper cuttings, slipped inside the diary pages, week commencing 9 th June 1918.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 16 th June Sunday Down line usual routine. 17 th June Monday Berneville Parades 18 th June Tuesday Parades In recreation room Writing letters (Benneville school) 19 th June Wednesday Ditto 20 th June Thursday Ditto 21 st June Friday Ditto 22 nd June Saturday Parades

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 23 rd June Sunday Ch. Parade. 24 th June Monday Baths at Wagnonlieu 25 th June Tuesday Batt. Sports & tea al fresco @ Wagnon lieu. Concert at Y.M.C.A Dainville in evening. 26 th June Wednesday Up the line again. 27 th June Thursday In line in dug out on Arras - Cambrai Rd (Devil Wood & Estaminet Corner) Left of Tilloy Wood (Support Coy) 28 th June Friday Usual line routine XXX Bert 29 th June Saturday Home Ditto Wills

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 30 th June Sunday To Devil Wood for rations 12.30AM 1st July Monday Fritz shelling road (Arras – Cambrai) Had rough time going & coming but managed to get back somehow! 2nd July Tuesday Usual routine 3rd July Wednesday Moved up to front line from Estaminet Corner. Down to HQ for pigeons. 4th July Thursday Usual line routine. 5th July Friday Ditto 6th July Saturday Pigeons flown. To BXX HQ for new pigeons.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 7th July Sunday Usual routine 8th July Monday Morning, 4 of our aeroplanes fly over escorting German plane back as prisoner. Q.W.R raid at night 9th July Tuesday Back to reserve line “Blangy Reserve trench” 10 th July Wednesday Usual routine. To Schramm Barracks for baths. 11 th July Thursday To St Saviou rs for water To H.Q.R.S 12 th July Friday Usual routine Valises 25 sent up from Dainville Bert, XXX 13 th July Saturday Usual routine. Due relief by Canadian division. (Highlanders) To Arras for 2 nights. (Schramm Barracks)

25 a small travelling bag or suitcase. 30 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 14 th July Sunday Schramm Barracks 15 th July Monday Entrained at Dainville for DIEVAL 16 th July Tuesday At DIEVAL 17 th July Wednesday Ditto 18 th July Thursday Ditto 19 th July Friday Ditto 20 th July Saturday Ditto

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 21 st July Sunday Drumhead service 22 nd July Monday Parades as per Comm. Between Batt & O R 23 rd July Tuesday To see Bow Bells 24 th July Wednesday Ditto Went strolling! 25 th July Thursday To La Comte for Bath. Comm between OR (Dieval) & Le Comte. 26th July Friday Battery practising defence of farm. Aeroplane over with claxon horn .Cinema. 27th July Saturday Very wet Cinema in evening At Scottish ChurchesXXX

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 28 th July Sunday Parade (Ch) at service in evening 29 th July Monday Called back when going to Bde 26 manouvers. Stood by all day. Cinema. 30 th July Tuesday Stiff march from Dieval to Bethonsant ( 9 miles ) in boiling hot sun. 31 st July Wednesday At Bethonsant. German planes bombing all night. About 50 bombs near us. 1st August Thursday By train from Bethonsant to Dainville & up the line relieving Canadian Highlanders. 2nd August Friday Intermittent telegraph still Usual routine 3rd August Saturday Ditto

26 Short for Brigade 33 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 4th August Sunday Ditto 5th August Monday Ditto 6th August Tuesday Detailed to pr oc eed to Bde. Q.M.S. for signal office at Berneville 7th August Wednesday Took up duties at office. Usual air raid. 8th August Thursday Usual air raid & shelling 9th August Friday Usual Ditto 10 th August Saturday Jerry plane drops a brilliant light over Berneville but no bomb this time. Ditto

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 11 th August Sunday Had swim in tank 12 th August Monday Routine work to cinema in evening Home, Bert 13 th August Tuesday Usual routine & raid 14 th August Wednesday Jerry plane comes over :6pm & attempts to bring down 2 observation balloons. Observers parachuted out safely. Later Jerry starts putting 59 shrapnel over DHQ. No Ban! 15 th August Thursday Jerry drops 3 bombs near our billet – too near to be pleasant. 16 th August Friday Usual duties. Jerry puts shell on Dainville “obbo” & burns it. 17 th August Saturday Moved by light rly (railway) via Aveone – le – Compte to LIGNEURIL. Billet over stable at CHATEAU.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 18 th August Sunday Walked to in morning. 19 th August Monday Again moved to WAGNONLIEU, marched with transport from LIGNEURIL (about 12 miles). Running line out to test box. 20 th August Tuesday 6pm went off in staff car billeting at -LE -COMPTE. Guiding troops, in Bed (?) at 3am. Home, Don, Bert 21 st August Wednesday Spoke with many walking wounded from shunt at CROISELLES & moved to at 9pm. (8 miles march) Jerry plane brought down in flames. 22 nd August Thursday At Saulty usual air raid. Sleep in open air here. Tres bon. 23 rd August Friday Moved to Barseut for 1 night. Thousands of cavalry pass us on the way up. 24 th August Saturday Move to Brettencourt. Beauville X-roads. Bomb drops on dump & blows it up. XXX XXX. Columns & an endless stream of transport of infantry moving up to attack. Prisoners in cage. Dump was a convoy of lorries.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 25 th August Sunday Sliper messaging from front line. 26 th August Monday Move to posh bivvy 27 th August Tuesday [BOISLEUX -AU -MONT] Advance to front line. Line laid to own our Bde attacks. 28 th August Wednesday Ordinary phone duties 29 th August Thursday Ordinary phone duties Bombed each night 30 th August Friday Usual duties 31 st August Saturday

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 1st September Sunday Jerry tries to bring down obbo but fails. 2nd September Monday Jerry brings down 2 obbos. Line laying. 3rd September Tuesday Jerry brings down 2 obbos together in flames. 4th September Wednesday Jim makes biscuit pudding for supper. Tres bon! 5th September Thursday Marched to BOLLECOURT. Order cancelled & return at once to Boisleux-en Mont. Two more balloons brought down @ XXX 6th September Friday Boisleux en Mont 7th September Saturday Moved to GUEMAPPE 27 on Arras – Cambrai Rd

27 http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/hlcem02.htm 38 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 8th September Sunday Building bivvy @ Guemappe. 9th September Monday Running out line down A – C 28 Rd for division. To Monchy for corrugated iron. 10 th September Tuesday Usual routine @ Guemappe 11 th September Wednesday Ditto 12 th September Thursday Ditto 13 th September Friday Attempt to bring down balloon about ¼ mile from here. Later brought down in flames. 14 th September Saturday Usual phone duties.

28 Arras – Cambrai Road 39 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 15 th September Sunday 3 more obbos down, plus 1. 16 th September Monday Airmen brought down. Terrible storm @ midnight water rushes down stairs of bivvy, about foot deep. 17 th September Tuesday Jerry she lls RE camp 200 yards aw ay. 6 killed + 30 XXX cases 18 th September Wednesday Lost 7 hours trying to find “short” on line. Went out @1pm returning at 8.30pm. 19 th September Thursday 20 th September Friday 21 st September Saturday Usual phone duties, strolled down to .

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 22 nd September Sunday Shelled with heavy shrapnel. XXX gas & H E on road. 23 rd September Monday Went to Arras by lorry via Cambrai Rd. Returned via Beaurais XXX XXX again shrapnelled. Casualties 1. Horse. 24 th September Tuesday Camp bombed. Bomb drops on sto re about 6 yards from our bivvy. Many horses killed. 25 th September Wednesday Walked round to view damage. Dozens of dead horses laying as they were killed in the horselines around our camp. Salvaging what was left of Bde store 26 th September Thursday Moved up near VIS -EN -ARTOIS. Phone duties with rear BDE, 27 th September Friday Line XXX by Div for Corps. 28 th September Saturday Waiting t hear from Div about line, but as nothing happens we lay in new one on Sunday.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 29 th September Sunday Line laid to Division, out from 11am – 7pm 30 th September Monday Walked to VIS-EM-ARTOIS for canteen stuff, but canteen gone. Usual phone duties. 1st October Tuesday Out at 6.30AM looking for disc on line. 2nd October Wednesday 3rd October Thursday Laid new line from Div to VILLERS 4th October Friday Moved to VILLERS finished laying of line. 5th October Saturday Usual phone duties.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 6th October Sunday Slightly shelled by 42 H.E which drop in our camp. 7th October Monday 8th October Tuesday 9th October Wednesday 10 th October Thursday 11 th October Friday 12 th October Saturday

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 13 th October Sunday 14 th October Monday 15 th October Tuesday Moved to Haute Avesnes (38 kilo from with transport) 16 th October Wednesday Walked down to Agnes to cinema. Tres bon. 17 th October Thursday To Aubigny (Lorry hopping) Oeufs & chiffer Had photo taken (Haute Anesnes) 18 th October Friday Down to Acq for Oeufs & Chiffer 19 th October Saturday Trimming up trench military cemetery. With Handy & Wally to egg & chip place 29 in Acq. Got photo.

29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_and_chips 44 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 20 th October Sunday Ch. Parade. 21 st October Monday Cemetery job 22 nd October Tuesday Ditto To pictures & Bow Bells 23 rd October Wednesday Several times Ditto 24 th October Thursday Cemetery job 25 th October Friday Potato scrounging 26 th October Saturday Paid (F5) for potato job. To egg & chip place at Acq in evening.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 27 th October Sunday To service in evening. 28 th October Monday Finished potato job. Went to cinema & Acq in evening. 29 th October Tuesday 30 th October Wednesday Route march round & 31 st October Thursday Move by lorry & buses to (30 kilos). XXX in RAF lorry left at 8am. 1st November Friday For Lieu St Amand (20ks) Heavy XXX & fire in house. Travelled on GS wagon. 2nd November Saturday Left Lieu St Amand for Monchaux arrived in pouring rain on open field. Built huts out of shell boxes.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 3rd November Sunday XXX Monchaux for morning. 4th November Monday Billet in cellar Moved to SAULTAIN Which was in German hands on Sunday. 5th November Tuesday At Saultain. Out all night in pouring rain attending to lines for some days have been living in cloths soddened with water 6th November Wednesday SAULTAIN. No move forward owing to counter attack on the division. 7th November Thursday German officer came over to our front with white flag asking us not to fire as armistice is about to be signed. Sent back & then we attack. 8th November Friday SEBOURG 9th November Saturday Moved to ANGREAU (Belgium) to Saultain (14) K with GS 30 wagon for packs & cycles.

30 GS Wagon – General Service Wagon 47 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 10 th November Sunday Moved to ATHIS . 11 th November Monday Went with limber 31 to Dour coal mine for coal. Heard news of ARMISTICE. 12 th November Tuesday ATHIS . Washing wagons & limbers. 13 th November Wednesday ATHIS walked to DOUR. Hear we are going to Germany. 14 th November Thursday Had steak & potatoes for supper at Dour in nice comfy sitting room. 15 th November Friday Painting limbers . 16 th November Saturday Walked to Dour & had more steak & potatoes. Rec’d parcel from home.

31 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbers_and_caissons 48 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 17 th November Sunday Athis 18 th November Monday Athis 19 th November Tuesday Moved to Offignies . Fine billet. Batman to Bde interpreter (M. Vandray) 20 th November Wednesday Offignies 21 st November Thursday Offignies 22 nd November Friday Warned for LEAVE. Walk to FAYT -LE -FRANC *by lorry to MARLY where we stop the night. 23 rd November Saturday Up at 6am leaving by lorry at 7am via VALENCIENS for DIV REC CAMP at NEUVILLE walk to SOMAIN (8 Kilos) where we wait from 3pm until 7am Sunday.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 24 th November Sunday 7am entrain for Boulogne where we arrive 8pm. 25 th November Monday Leave Boulogne 2.35pm Folkstone 4pm Victoria 8pm Home 9.15pm 26 th November Tuesday Leave 27 th November Wednesday Leave 28 th November Thursday Leave 29 th November Friday Leave 30 th November Saturday Leave

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 1st December Sunday Leave 2nd December Monday Leave 3rd December Tuesday Leave 4th December Wednesday Leave 5th December Thursday Leave 6th December Friday Leave 7th December Saturday Leave

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 8th December Sunday Leave 9th December Monday Leave 10 th December Tuesday Train from Victoria 8am. Folkestone 10.30. Boulogne 4.30. Stop night at St Martins Camp. To YM Cinema 11 th December Wednesday Entrain at 3pm arrive RAISMES 8.30 AM on 12 th . 12 th December Thursday Arrive Raismes DRC. Night spent here. 13 th December Friday By lorry to Hovelles about 50 kilos (8.30am – 1pm) 14 th December Saturday Good billet at Houvells

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 15 th December Sunday Walked to Mons. Concert. 16 th December Monday Usual duties 17 th December Tuesday General meeting of B.H.Q in evening 18 th December Wednesday 19 th December Thursday Haven’t been up to much last few days. Pain in neck & head so report sick. Temp 101°. Ordered to hospital. 20 th December Friday To field ambulance by motor ambulance *thence 32 C.C.S Valenciennes 32 Good bed & food 21 st December Saturday Temp down to 100.4.

32 https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/locations-of-british-casualty-clearing-stations/ 53 | P a g e

The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 22 nd December Sunday Down to 99.4 23 rd December Monday Feeling somewhat better today 24 th December Tuesday Gramophone in ward today Pipe band play in grounds 25 th December Wednesday Fine dinner & tea. Allowed to get up today. Concert in evening. 26 th December Thursday C.C.S Valenciennes 27 th December Friday C.C.S Valenciennes 28 th December Saturday By ambulance to ambulance train. On board @4pm.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

1918 29 th December Sunday On ambulance train. 30 th December Monday Arrived at XXX 10.30am 31 st December Tuesday

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

These additional pages at the back of the diary show details of a cash account kept, aeroplane signs and a log of the towns visited during Percy’s tour of duty in 1918.

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The WW1 diary of Percy W. Rainbow – January 1 st – December 31 st , 1918

Percy Rainbow spent most of his time in France in 1918, billeted in various locations around the town of Arras.

The Second Battles of Arras, 1918

Reference for 26 th August – 3rd September https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the- western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-second-battles-of-arras-1918/

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