The First Christmas

December 2, 1918

Excerpts from the diary of Green Howards soldier, Stanley Harrison, spanning Armistice day 1918 to the first peacetime Christmas for four years.

Dec. 2nd Mon. Working party in RE camp. Round fire all a.m. Boots soaked, absolutely useless for this climate. Rheumatism in one foot. Mails arrive. 600 bags. Voluntary fatigue. Parcels galore. Moved into upper section. Letters tomorrow. Hurrah. B —Company to leave boat. No orders as yet. RE offers 30 roubles, 8 oz tobac. “English no daubra”. (daubra means ‘good, nice or beautiful’)

Find out more about our diarist, Stanley.