Sunday September 1st, 1918
Eastern troops are to have 21 days leave in future. Wash out. Band practice morning – rather better. Bob Prenty goes home on leave. Hope to go soon. Letter and parcel from home.
Home Leave
Bob Prenty, who has been with Frank throughout his time with the Manchesters, both in Salonika and now France, has gone home on leave. Hopefully the letter and parcel from Sarah is some consolation to Frank that it isn’t his turn yet.
It must be doubly galling to Frank that British troops in the eastern fields of battle are to have 21 days home leave. Though I think his information may be slightly flawed.
There were a lot of questions being asked in the Houses of Parliament in April this year about the paucity of home leave for both officers and soldiers in the more remote war zones. Major Waring, an MP who had served in Salonika, referred to the soldier’s allowance of 21 days every 18 months. It is clear from both his comments and various accounts of soldiers who served in Salonika that this is far from reality. Many soldiers who served for the duration of the Macedonian Campaign (1915-18) did not get any home leave at all.
Band Practice
Band equipment from the recently defunct 17th Manchesters arrived yesterday and has enabled the creation of a band for the 9th. Frank is delighted to be one of its members. However, at its first practice yesterday, Frank noted that the new band made an ‘awful row‘. It appears that the rehearsal went slightly better today.
Frank will be pleased with the new programme of training. Starting tomorrow, the programme accommodates some Band practice almost every day.
The photograph shows the Band of the 2/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment (172nd Brigade, 57th Division) at Bavincourt in late September 1918.^
9th Battalion War Diary – 1st September 1918 – Haudricourt
(Ref Maps – France Dieppe 16, 1:100,000)
Church Services as usual and baths. Programme of training (Appendix No 1) for week ending 7-9-18 issued.
References & Further Reading
^ Q 9411, copyright Imperial War Museums