November 23rd - 30th 1914

November 23^rd Monday

Now firing at 400 yards, obtained 14 and snapshooting at figure target. Got 3 hits. Busy all evening letter writing.

November 24^th Tuesday

Application of 5 rounds kneeling at 300 yards, obt 14 points and 15 rounds rapid at 300, obt 32 points in the morning. On the range again in afternoon. 5 rounds at 500. Got 15 points.

November 25^th Wednesday

5 rounds at 600 and got 11 points. Finished our Course. Pass 185 obt 108. 1^st Class Shot. Packing up for detachment.

November 26^th Thursday

H Coy under Capt Arthur went away to guard prisoners at Veradale. Left ½ ‘G’ Coy went to |Melleha and right half went to Selmon Palace. Lost my kit. On guard at Calla Mistra at 5.00pm. To get to our guard, which was a strip of sand on the shore and overlooked by a very steep hill, we had to descend by means of a narrow stairway cut out of the rock, known as the Devils Stairway and made by the Scottish Rifles from a height of 867 ft.

November 27^th Friday

Had to stay behind and look after all Gov. Property till the next guard relieved me at 6.00pm. So read books and wrote letters all day. Saw a Maltese catch on Octopus. Got paid 11/-. When I got back I had a tuck in, then went to sleep in a decent bed and roof overhead.

November 28^th Saturday

Marched to Melleha in the morning and done 2 hours skirmishing. Took over a new guard from Maltese at Ghain Qutusa and lost ourselves in trying to find it. A rough night.

November 29^th Sunday

Back at the Palace at 6.00am and because it’s a fine day I am put on fire piquet. Am not supposed to go out but could not resist the temptation, so went into Melleha.

November 30^th Monday

Went to Melleha again and done some more skirmishing and am on the same guard as before at 5.00pm. Have found a short cut to it now via a farm and the Maltese Artillery Fort Melleha Bay. Felt a bit mischievous on route, so we dropped over a wall and quietly borrowed some lovely grapes, pomegranates and oranges. Caught a wild cat and a snake in evening. Capt Saunders pays us a midnight visit.

November 16th - 22nd 1914

November 16^th Monday

We commence our Course of Instruction. Application firing of 5 rounds at 300 yards. Done rotten. 14 out of 20. Raining cats and dogs. Rest of day marking at the butts.

November 17^th Tuesday

Fired 7 rounds rapid in 45 secs at 300 yards, 19 out of 28. Am on butt duty every day now. Markers have to fire first in the morning. Have to keep our nuts low.

November 18^th Wednesday

Raining like the devil, but have to fire just the same, 5 rounds application at 300 yards. Got wet through while firing and only managed 9 points.

November 19^th Thursday

Snap shooting at Silhouette Figure at 300 yards with 4 secs exposure. Got 3 hits. Finished of Instructional Course. Not so well this time. Got 56 out of 88.

November 20^th Friday

Duff men tried again. Am behinds the butts all day and had a fairly easy time, especially under Capt M.F.P. Paid 7/-. Spent the evening in Recreation Room.

November 21^st Saturday

Started our Standard Test and were told that those passing 1^st Class would get 3d a day extra. Grouping of 5 rounds at 100 yards, 8-inch group, 20 out of 25.

November 22^nd Sunday

Served out with new drill suits. Church parade is washed out, but we have a ceremonial parade in memory of Lord Roberts. Got a big mail in. Plenty of letters for me. Rather lucky this time.

November 9th - 15th 1914

November 9^th Monday

Started our Qualification Test. Had to do Harmonization of Sights at 1200 yards, 25 yards range. Very easy test. All correct.

November 10^th Tuesday

Grouping of 3 shots at 25 yards. Got a 1 inch group. Not at all bad.

November 11th Wednesday

Grouping of 5 rounds at 100 yards. Got an 8 inch group. 20 pints, possible 25.

November 12^th Thursday

Fired 5 rounds on application at 200 yards off, 17 out of 20 points. Am doing very well up to the present.

November 13^th Friday

Sharp shooting 5 rounds at 200 yards off. 16 out of 20. Paid 7. -. Firing is a bit of a strain so spent evening in Camp.

November 14^th Saturday

Rapid Firing at 200 yards, 8 rounds in 45 secs. Obtained 22 points out of 32. Total 75 out of 87. Passed Qualification Test.

November 15^th Sunday

Church Service in Mess at 11.00am. Our Harvest Festival Parson from Garrison Church, The service has the Hymns ‘We plough the fields and scatter, The Sower went forth sowing and now thank we all our God’. Collection from Red X. Collected over £11.00.

November 1st - 8th 1914 - Learning Weapons & Sport

NB: Take note that they were enlisted as a Machine Gunner and others in similar roles, yet they had never really fired anything before. I think the overwhelming madness of the WW1 was the sheer amount of information and things that they just didn't know. Imagine going into a war in the modern era with limited military intelligence. Back then, they just did it because that's what you meant to do. They did also find time for football though, of course!

November 1914

November 1^st Sunday

Church parade as usual. Got a mail up and considered myself lucky to get a few letters from home.

November 2^nd Monday

Started to learn field firing at disappearing targets and taking cover.

November 3^rd Tuesday

Now they have put us on Rapid firing, which is loading, firing and unloading 15 rounds in 1 minute. Fairly easy.

November 4^th Wednesday

Went on to Range and had a test in Visual training. Managed to find 5 out of 7 targets.

November 5^th Thursday

Marched over to Melleha Ridge and had our test on judging distance. Done fairly well. Only had 10% of error.

November 6^th Friday

Had our test in Rapid loading. Had to load, take ammunition out of pouches and close them up each time, and unload 90 rounds in a minute. Done it in 57 secs. Paid 7/-. G Coy played C Coy at cricket. Beat them by 6 wickets.

November 7^th Saturday

Nothing much to do now before firing. Just revising a bit and had to explain everything ourselves. That afternoon ‘G’ Coy played ‘C’ Coy at football and won 3-1.

November 8^th Sunday

Church Service at 6.00am. Went to St Pauls Bay after dinner and had my usual weekly bust up. Of course I have to mix with civilians here, especially the females. Our 1^st Batt pitches camp close by.

October 30th & 31st 1914

October 30^th Friday

Half day off to-day. Had to revise all the particular things that were taught in the week. Paid 11/- which includes a months kit pay. Went over to Melleha in afternoon to see some Maltese friends.

October 31^st Saturday

Rifle inspection at 9.00am, followed by a kit inspection at 10.00am. Quite an easy day for us. After dinner found a quiet spot to have a pleasant siesta in.

October 22nd - 29th 1914

October 22nd Thursday

Paraded at 7.30am for route march and officers experiments in map reading etc. Marched as far as the Victoria Lines and then came back via the coast and over the h.lb. Back at 12.00 noon. Finished for rest of day. Done 10 miles.

October 23rd Friday

Went over the hills towards Melleha Ridge and had instruction in judging distances up to 800 yards. Aiming drill all the afternoon. Paid 7/- and had a tuck in.

October 24th Saturday

Plenty to do this morning. General Revision. Parts and care of arms, aiming drill and judging distance. Went for a walk over hills after dinner.

October 25th Sunday

Church parade at 6.45am. Went to bathe afterwards. Had some photos done on the rocks. Bought some more lace and silks for the folks at home. Then messed about for the rest of the day.

October 26th Monday

Musketry instruction all day. Learnt all there is to be taught about the kneeling positions. Stayed in all evening to write letter and send my silks home.

October 27th Tuesday

Instruction in the lying prone position. A mans legs must be stretched out so correctly behind him, and yet they tell us to make ourselves comfortable.

October 28th Wednesday

Practicing sniping and snapshooting, also we are told to use our eyes and notice anything that is uncommon.

October 29th Thursday

Instruction in trigger pressing. This appears to the casual onlooker to be the simplest thing, but if you do not take great care you will pull your shot off target.

October 15th - 21st - The Heat

October 15^th Thursday

A chap in ‘H’ Coy is knocked over.  His head is turned by the sun.  Later on he is sent to England.  Eyesight is ruined.  Came out of Hospital and put on light duty. 

October 16^th Friday

Am feeling much better now.  Resume duties tomorrow.  Busied myself with cleaning my bayonet up which is now rusty.

October 17^th Saturday

Lost my purse with 6/6 in it, also the pair of gold cuff links that Annie gave me before the war.  Wild as a devil.  It is raining cats and dogs.  Parades impossible.  Got swamped out, mud and slosh galore.

October 18^th Sunday

Church Parade at 6.30am.  As I was practically broke to the wide, it was no use for me to go out.  Stayed in Camp all day and wrote more letters.

October 19^th Monday

Started to be instructed in the new Army Musketry Course by Sergeant Instructor Stacey (Royal Marines).  First thing we learn is Standing Position. 

October 20^th Tuesday

6 hours instruction on parts of a rifle and care of arms.  This is much more interesting and preferable to drill. 

October 21^st Wednesday

Adjutants Parade at 6.30am.  Then went on the Naval Range and had instruction and visual training that is finding hidden objects representing snipers