Compiled By Lillian Upton Word or phrase Explanation Letter Date of Entry 10/- Ten shillings 04.11.1916 1d novels "Penny Dreadfuls"- a cheap ond often sensational type of novel 22.03.1915 27 Grosvenor Square Robert Fleming Hospital for Officers 27 Grosvenor Square, Belgravia, London W1 Military convalescent hospital 1914-1919 In 1914 the investment banker Robert Fleming and his wife provided an auxiliary hospital for convalescent officers at their home in Grosvenor Square. By 26.06.1918 December 1914 all 10 beds were occupied. Later, the Hospital had 14 beds and was affiliated to Queen Alexandra Military Hospital. That building was demolished and now the American Embassy occupies some of the site A cheval On horseback (French) 16.03.1916 A S Choir All Saints Choir of Bromley Common in Kent where Hills' Father was Vicar 14.06.1916 A.B.s An able seaman- an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work 03.02.1916 as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles A.D.C. Aide de Camp (French) A military officer acting as a confidential assistant to a senior officer 25.09.1916 A.S.C. Army Service Corps A.V.C. British Army Veterinary Corps WW1 Absolument asphixie Absolutely choaked (French) Adjutant Military Officer acting as an Admin Assistant to a Senior Officer Agincourt The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred 02.03.1918 on Friday, 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day), near Azincourt in northern France. Alan Aynesworth Allan (also Alan) Aynesworth (14.04.1864– 22.08.1959) is the stage name of a British actor whose career spanned almost six decades, including a lead part in the 1895 world premiere of Oscar Wilde's 16.06.19616 The Importance of Being Earnest and his final role as the elderly Lord Lancaster in the movie The Last Days of Dolwyn (1949). His birth name was Edward Abbot-Anderson. Aldershot A town in Hampshire known for its connection with the British Army 01.10.1917 Alexander’s R.T.B Alexander's Ragtime Band -a song by irving Berlin. It was his first major hit in 1911 29.08.1916 Compiled By Lillian Upton Alexandra Pavilion for Officers This article appeared in the Times in February 1916 “Queen Alexandra, accompanied by Princess Victoria, opened yesterday afternoon the new "Alexandra" YMCA pavilion for officers in Grosvenor Gardens, near Victoria Station.” In 1917, a further article appeared, reporting that owing to the demand for hostel accommodation for officers at the Alexandra Pavilion in Grosvenor Gardens, the 03.12.1916 YMCA have found it necessary to accept an offer of a house owned by Mr George Drummond for use as an officers hostel. This one was in Belgrave Square. These hostels were still being used by officers in 1920. Allington will get Eaton Cyril Argentine Alington (22.10.1872 – 16.05.1955) was an English educationalist, scholar, cleric, and prolific author. Headmaster of both Shrewsbury School and Eton College. He also served as chaplain 05.06.1916 to King George V and as Dean of Durham Amazonian dame The Amazons were a nation of fierce & warlike- female warriors in Greek Mythology. Here the words 01.11.1916 imply that the Lady at the crossing was very strong. American kursall A Kursall is an amusement park 28.01.1916 Andrew His brother Andrew Cattley Hills born 1898 06.02.1915 Annas Unit of Indian currency with the rupee 27.01.1916 Apres la guerre (French) After the war 19.08.1916 Arcadians An Edwardian musical comedy - a "Fantastic Musical Play" in three acts by Mark Ambient and 17.05.1916 Alexander M. Thompson, with lyrics by Arthur Wimperis and music by Lionel Monckton and Howard Archies Enemy anti aircraft fire or artilery piece. After the Music Hall song 'Archibald, Certainly Not!' German Anit aircraft guns were often incaccurate and whenBritish Pilots returned to their airfields, they would be asked, "Archibald give you any trouble today?" They would answer, "Archibald? Certainly 23.04.1916 not!" Archibald was soon shortened to "Archie," and German anti aircraft fire was called "Archie" for the rest of the war. Aristo Aristocrat (French) 18.12.1915 Armageddon 18.11.1918 In the New Testament - the last battle between good and evil before the Day of Judgement. Armand, the French Rugger Henri Amand Fly Half First Cap 01.01.1906 at Parc des Princes against New Zealand 06.12.1915 man Armee Anglaise English Army ( French) 01.11.1916 Aronda Ship built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Glasgow launched in 1912 The ship Hills sailed out to Malta 04.02.1916 Art Thou Weary Hymn - Art thou weary, art thou languid by John Mason Neale (1818-1866), based on a Greek text by 23.04.1916 St Stephen the Sabaite Artesian Well A well in which pressurized water naturally rises to the surface 27.11.1915 Compiled By Lillian Upton Ascension Day Celebration The Feast of the Ascension, also known as Ascension Thursday, Holy Thursday , or Ascension Day, commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Celebration here means taking of Holy 23.12.1916 Communion Au fait In this context "alright" -Litereally in French "familiar with" 01.12.1915 Auberge Inn (French) 29.02.1916 August Presence August means inspiring awe or admiration because of rank or age - majestic, as in " the august 22.07.1916 presence of the monarch" B.E.F. British Expeditionary Force Bainsfather Cartoons Captain (Charles) Bruce Bairnsfather (09.07.1887 – 29.09.1959) was a prominent British humorist and cartoonist His best-known cartoon character is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in 21.02.1916 Bairnsfather's weekly "Fragments from France" cartoons published weekly in "The Bystander" magazine during the First World War Baltic Business August 8th -21st 1915 failed German Naval attack on the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea Barrack Room Ballads A series of songs and poems by Rudyard Kipling about the late-Victorian British Army and mostly 03.08.1915 written in a vernacular dialect (every day speech)-this must be why Knighton cannot read them himself- but Hills is able to (See the poems he write hinself in dialect-15.09.1915 & 16.19.1915) Bde Brigade Beatty's victory in the N. Sea 12.06.1916 Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty Naval commander at the Battle of Jutland 31.051916- 01.06.1916 Bechuanaland The Bechuanaland Protectorate was a protectorate established on 31.03.1885, by the United 12.12.1917 Kingdom in southern Africa. It became the Republic of Botswana on 30.09.1966 Beech Thomas William Beach Thomas Contributed to The Globe and the Outlook Magazine then got a full time post as Journalist with the Daily Mail. The paper sent him to France to cover the war form there. What he 28.09.1916 wrote was subject to Govenrmnet control. He was Knighted after the war for his services as a war correspondent Belgian Gendarmerie Belgian Civil Police 16.08.1915 Bethunes ( Battye Bombs) Early WW1 bomb designed by Capt B C Battye at the Bethune works 28.08.1915 Compiled By Lillian Upton Bing Boys The Bing Boys Are Here, styled "A Picture of London Life in a Prologue and Six Panels" is the first of a series of revues which played at the Alhambra Theatre, London during the last two years of World 17.07.1916 War I.It first opened on 19 April 1916 and starred George Robey and Violet Lorraine, famous for their introduction of the song "If You Were the Only Girl (in the World)" Bisley Village in Surrey noted for it rifle shooting ranges 04.10.1916 Bismark Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898), known as 26.09.1916 Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian statesman who dominated German and European affairs with his conservative policies from the 1860s until he was forced to resign in 1890 by Emperor Wilhelm II. Blesse Wounded man (French) 14.08.1916 Blighty England A "blighty " was a wound serious enough to send you home for treatment Blighty meant 15.08.1915/16.09.1915 Britain. Derived from the Hindu word Bilayati, meaning “foreign country”, the British in India came to (poems) refer to Britain as Blighty and the those in the trenches picked it up. Bloaters A type of whole cold-smoked herring 14.02.1916 Blow Out Big Meal 31.03.1916 Blue Brassard An armband - a distinctive band of cloth usually worn round the upper part of a sleeve for 01.12.1915 identification purposes (usually adorned with an identifying mark or insignia) Blue Upright 10.12.1915 Winged traditional dry fishing fly pattern that will work in most conditions for trout and grayling Blug Blood 19.11.1916 Boots The servant responsible for cleaning the boots & shoes 30.12.1915 Bosches The Germans Slang French word meaning "Rascal"-an abbreviation of caboche, French slang for human head Botha’s S.A. Campaign Louis Botha (27.09.1862 – 27.08.1919) an Afrikaner- first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa. 02.01.1916 A Boer war hero who fought to have South Africa become a British Dominion Bow Bells & Whizzbangs The Bow Belles a concert party of 56th (London) Division Whizzbangs were the concert party of the 23.05.1916 46th Division Bp Pretoria The Bishop of Pretoria Michael Bolton Furse 16.05.1915 Breeks Scottish - Britches or trousers 29.05.1918 Brer Bosch Brer means "Brother " 14.03.1916 Compiled By Lillian Upton Bret Harte Francis Bret Harte (25.08.1836 – 5.05.1902) American author and poet, best remembered for his 05.02.1916 accounts of pioneering life in California Bric a Brac The revue Bric-a-Brac was produced at the Palace Theatre London in 1915.