Bill's Diary Part Seven December 1940
December 1st
We all had a good lay-in this morning, nothing to do, we play cards and the weather is the same.
December 2nd
We are on the range this week. My mate and I go sick as we hardly ever get in a good group. It seems to be a racket. If your face fits you get in a good group.
December 3rd
Went sick again, got some tablets. I am out of cigarettes. Hope they come in today. Weather is cold and some of the lads get letters from home.
December 4th
I have a good job now. Three more lads and I take coal round the rooms. It is permanent. More mail today. Cigarettes in one packet a man.
December 5th
Not much to say today. Weather is raining on and off. I hope to get a letter soon. I am boiling up some potatoes for dinner. We get soup at 5 pm.
December 6th
Same as yesterday. It is very cold and snows today. Getting short of cigarettes.
December 7th
Weather the same. There is bags of mud about now. Got five cigarettes today.
December 8th
We had to go to work today. It is dreadful sloshing in the mud. I think there will be some rain later.
December 9th
There was some rain last night, but this morning there was some snow. It was hard work pushing barrows of coal through the mud.
December 10th
There was a frost last night and the mud has frozen hard. It is very cold and more snow today. Free issue of cigarettes today, twenty seven a man.
December 11th
Had a hard day today and never finished until 5.30 pm. Biscuits up today, I hope to get a letter soon.
December 12th
We don't start work until 10 am this morning. I hope cigarettes come up today. The food is getting shorter. The soup is very thin now.
December 13th
Cigarettes up last night. The weather is very cold now. More rumours.
December 14th
Usual routine taking coal round the barrack room.
December 15th
Had to work today, half the camp get roast pork today. We get ours next week. Weather cold.
December 16th
Not much to say. Rumour that Italy has finished. Weather very cold now. Freezing all day.
December 17th
Same as yesterday, very cold again. Cigarettes come up today.
December 18th
Usual routine. More rumours. Hope they are true.
December 19th
Rumour that we get three loaves of bread for Christmas. Weather is still very cold. No letters from home yet.
December 20th
We got beer today, two bottles per man.
December 21st
We got our bread this morning - two loaves and one roll. We got roast beef today for dinner.
December 22nd
Usual routine. Not much to say. We get cigarettes some time this week.
December 23rd
We got two packets of tobacco and twenty seven cigarettes today. Weather is cold but not so cold as it has been.
December 24th
The lads finish work early today, we hear more rumours of Italy finished.
December 25th
We had a good dinner today - roast pork and beef and potatoes, not very much though.
December 26th
We had the usual soup for dinner today. I am not up to much today. Weather still cold.
December 27th
Some of the lads went out to work today. We haven't been paid this week yet. Cigarettes should come up today. I have pains in my head.
December 28th
Got paid today. Cigarettes came up yesterday. Biscuits came up today. Weather has turned up wet and slushy.
December 29th
Last Sunday this year. Not much today. Rumour that we will be home Easter. I hope it's true.
December 30th
Still on the same job. Went out with coal and sticks to the barracks. It was snowing. Haven't had a letter yet. Sent a post card yesterday.
December 31st
Not much to say today. Weather has turned frosty again. Hope for a letter. This year has gone, hope to get one soon.
We all had a good lay-in this morning, nothing to do, we play cards and the weather is the same.
December 2nd
We are on the range this week. My mate and I go sick as we hardly ever get in a good group. It seems to be a racket. If your face fits you get in a good group.
December 3rd
Went sick again, got some tablets. I am out of cigarettes. Hope they come in today. Weather is cold and some of the lads get letters from home.
December 4th
I have a good job now. Three more lads and I take coal round the rooms. It is permanent. More mail today. Cigarettes in one packet a man.
December 5th
Not much to say today. Weather is raining on and off. I hope to get a letter soon. I am boiling up some potatoes for dinner. We get soup at 5 pm.
December 6th
Same as yesterday. It is very cold and snows today. Getting short of cigarettes.
December 7th
Weather the same. There is bags of mud about now. Got five cigarettes today.
December 8th
We had to go to work today. It is dreadful sloshing in the mud. I think there will be some rain later.
December 9th
There was some rain last night, but this morning there was some snow. It was hard work pushing barrows of coal through the mud.
December 10th
There was a frost last night and the mud has frozen hard. It is very cold and more snow today. Free issue of cigarettes today, twenty seven a man.
December 11th
Had a hard day today and never finished until 5.30 pm. Biscuits up today, I hope to get a letter soon.
December 12th
We don't start work until 10 am this morning. I hope cigarettes come up today. The food is getting shorter. The soup is very thin now.
December 13th
Cigarettes up last night. The weather is very cold now. More rumours.
December 14th
Usual routine taking coal round the barrack room.
December 15th
Had to work today, half the camp get roast pork today. We get ours next week. Weather cold.
December 16th
Not much to say. Rumour that Italy has finished. Weather very cold now. Freezing all day.
December 17th
Same as yesterday, very cold again. Cigarettes come up today.
December 18th
Usual routine. More rumours. Hope they are true.
December 19th
Rumour that we get three loaves of bread for Christmas. Weather is still very cold. No letters from home yet.
December 20th
We got beer today, two bottles per man.
December 21st
We got our bread this morning - two loaves and one roll. We got roast beef today for dinner.
December 22nd
Usual routine. Not much to say. We get cigarettes some time this week.
December 23rd
We got two packets of tobacco and twenty seven cigarettes today. Weather is cold but not so cold as it has been.
December 24th
The lads finish work early today, we hear more rumours of Italy finished.
December 25th
We had a good dinner today - roast pork and beef and potatoes, not very much though.
December 26th
We had the usual soup for dinner today. I am not up to much today. Weather still cold.
December 27th
Some of the lads went out to work today. We haven't been paid this week yet. Cigarettes should come up today. I have pains in my head.
December 28th
Got paid today. Cigarettes came up yesterday. Biscuits came up today. Weather has turned up wet and slushy.
December 29th
Last Sunday this year. Not much today. Rumour that we will be home Easter. I hope it's true.
December 30th
Still on the same job. Went out with coal and sticks to the barracks. It was snowing. Haven't had a letter yet. Sent a post card yesterday.
December 31st
Not much to say today. Weather has turned frosty again. Hope for a letter. This year has gone, hope to get one soon.