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Kay Collins, 2024/5
Pte George A Burgess
45130 7th Suffolk Regiment & 11th Suffolk Regiment
His Diary - travel across France, service, sickness & return to France & "Home"

Information found in his WWI records - kindly downloaded for Hearts & Soles, and further research was carried out. Much of it done using this website. It was all triggered by the anonymous donation of a note book!

The note book contained his war diary, all carefully written, suggesting he had re-written it from personal diaries which he had kept. This was against regulations!

George Abner Burgess
The first pages from the Diary detailing his call up.

first page
The first page in the note book

1917 January - Felixstowe

9 Tue — Left of[f] work to have a holiday before joining the army as I had received my papers to report at Kettering on the 16th.

12th Fri — Went with C Nevell to Kettering to see if we could get in anything different from Infantry but there was nothing doing.

13th Sat — Went with C Nevell to try to join the "Royal Naval Air Service" but this branch was full up.

14th Sun — Had a Day at Home, as this was my last Sunday before joining up.

15 Mon — Walking about with C Nevell went and had a look at them up shop

Query: where did they work together?

C Neville was born 1897 at Irthlingborough and he came to Rushden as a young boy.

1917 January Felixstowe

16th Tue - Reported at Northampton Barracks, was took to a room where there was a lot more on the same game as we was, the sergent told us to undress which we did, then just wrapped our shirt round us waiting about ½hour, untill the doctor called our name, was examined and passed A1.

We then drawed our Karkie and went to a hut we discarded our civies and doned the karkie, several old soldiers helping some of us with our putties, we packed up our civies and posted them off home, we then had our first dinner in the army, I forget what that was like, I then got a sleeping out pass and whent and spent the night with Mr Worley, and what a night. I don’t believe I had a wink all night.

17 Wen – Had a good breakfast with Mr Worley who saw me down to the Barracks at which I reported I then went in the waiting room where I found I had some more pals from Rushden, the fellow who I been with all the week was down for the Artillery while I was for the Infantry.

We messed about drawing various items and paraded at 1.30pm for Felixstowe arriving there at 9pm ten of us coming from Rushden, we didn’t even know what we going to join, on arriving after we had given our names etc, we had to go and drawed our beds and blankets etc, and didn’t it make us sweat, then they treated us to some supper at the canteen.

We was billeted in empty houses, the house being “Pier View Granville Rd”

18th Thur – Very cold, Paraded with overcoats and marched off to the Doctors, to be Noculated, after I had my dose I came back into the room and was just putting my shirt on when I felt very groggy and didn’t know any thing more until I came round lying on the gravel outside nobody attending me as they were all as bad as I was, they were lying all over the yard, that was how I lost my fag case and jersey, but the sergent in our house scrounged me one from somewhere. Layed in bed for the rest of that day as we had 48 hours off, it didn’t take much to keep us those two days.

19 Fri – Day off through inoculation spent most of the time in the Y.M.C.A.

20 Sat – Rifle Drill by Numbers, in the Awkward Squad

21 Sun – My first Church Parade we all had to line up round the square while the band played a certain piece, the Colonel then led us to church.

22 Mon – Was Vaxanated this ment keeping us quiet for ten days for ten days no arm drill, as most of the time was walks, or Lectures on the various subjects such as the points of the rifle the various names, weight, speed of bullet, how to sight a rifle propally, and so on,

24 Wen – Very cold, Drilling on the Promenaded by the sea shore, this was a very cold winter and us poor rookies didn’t half feel it.

25 Thur – We are put into squads me being in No.1 squad, Sergent Nunny being our Phicical & Baynet Instructor.

The next piece typed is the final pages where George details his service travel, day by day, from training, through to service in France, sickness and hospital, return to France, and marching for home.......

Travel throughout the War
 
 
1917
  
Kettering
 
Jan 12
 Went to see what was open.
Northampton
 
13
 Went to try for the R.N.A.S.
Northampton
 
16
 Joined up slept at Mrs Worley
Felixstowe
 
16
 Arrived late at night
Bawdsy
 
Feb 5
 On the Rifle Range
Home
 
Mar 13
 On Draft Leave
Felixstowe
 
19
 Back off draft leave. Left 7pm
Folkestone
Arrive 5am
29
 Left 2pm
Boulogne
7pm
30
 Left 6pm
Calais
7am
Apr 1
 Left 21st
Etabs
9pm
21
 in tents    left 4.30am
Frevent
11am
22
 in tents    left in buses      
Fosseux
2pm
May 25
 in huts
Sombrin
 
Jun 4
 Brigade Sports
Darley
 
 5
 Boxing
Sombrin
5 miles from 
 6
 Fosseux (Horse Feats)
Sombrin
 
16
 Brigadier General Presenting Medals
Fosseux to Arras
 17 Kills’ [km]
17
  
Monchy Le Prix
 
18
 Front Line
Arras
Rest in Billets 
28
 in Collage No windows or doors left
Monchy Le Prix
 
Jul 7
 In the line until the 24th
Beaurains
 
24
 Out for a rest
Village on Right of
Cambrin Road 
Aug 1
  
Beaurains  
 
 Pract[ic]ing Attack
Monchy Le Prix  
Aug 8
 In Front Line, should go over but postponed
Monchy Le Prix  
 9
 In front line over the top
Beaurains
 
12-17
 Resting
D Strong Point
 
19
 To be defended at all costs
Tilloy wood
 
Sept 1
 Beveacks (ground all damp)
Arras
 
 4
 Hospital
8 ccs     Hospital Casualty Clearing Station [no 8]
Rouin
 
11
 12 General Hospital, Marque America
Le Harve
 
23
 Slept all night on board Boat
Southampton
 
25
 In the night
Hereford
 
25
 General Hospital
Wellington
 
Oct 20
 V.A.D.
Berrington
 
Nov 21
 Hospital
Northampton
 
23
 Stay night at Mrs Worley
Home
 
24
 On Sick Leave
Bury St Edmunds
 
Dec 3
 Barracks Convalesance (go out walking) through Westley/Harringan/Forham All Saints
 
 
1918
  
Felixstowe
 
Jan 17
  
Languard
 
30
 Rifle Range
Home
 
Feb 12
 Draft Leave
Felixstowe via
Longston 
18
  
Shorncliff 
march to
 
  
Folkestone
 
Mar 18
  
Boulogne
 
19
  
Clais
 
20
  
Albert 
arrive 9pm
24
 just as Germans bomb the station
Village unknown  
25
 Marching all day
Sarcron or Selis  
26
 Sleep in Orchard on grass (bombed)
Dollens
 
27
 Farm House Top GOC having meeting
Gouy
 
28
  
Simoncaut
 
29
 Put in C Coy (only 17 left)
Sombrin
 
30
 Slept in barns
Village unknown
 
April 1
 (Saluting by Numbers)
Village unknown
 
 5
 Stiff march /go sick/ ordered to bed
Mazengarbe or Le Bribe
 6
 Under shell fire
Hinger and villages  
11
  
round about Lacon
 
15
 In Trenches or posts
Annezin
 
25
 Trenches or posts
Hinges
 
27
 Front Line or posts
Choques
 
May 4
  
Vendon
 
 9
 In front of Bethune
Chocques
 
16
 Resting
La Bouverie
 
20
 Lewis Gun Course  HORSE LINES
Chogues
 
Jun 4
 Meet Batt out of the Line
Hinges
 
13
 In front of Cannel Bank - we do a night attack
Choques
 
19
 Resting – Reserve Trenches
Hinges
 
23
 In Trenches
Choques
 
Jul 5
 Resting
Hinges
 
11
 Cannel Bank & Front line
Choques
 
23
 Reserve lines Resting
La Pugnay
 
27
 21st Birthday (Champane)
Hinges
 
29
 In front of
Faucquanham
 
Aug 7
 Rid back in buses out of Shell fire Peaceful
Ames Lunes Amelles
 
10
 to see King George
Lillers
 
11
 To bury Stoner
Faucquanham
 
 
 We leave to march 10 Kilos [km] to train, 4 hours ride, get off at
Warlingcourt
 
 
 Then march 10 Kilo [km] to
Sus St Legar
 
14
 on the move, at night, march 20 kilo [km] to
Village unknown
 
19
 At night march 12 kilos [km] to
Reserve lines
 
20
  
Courelles
 
21
 Arras Cambrin Railway (Offensive)
Gomecourt
 
23
                                  (Offensive)
Bucquay
 
25
                                  (Offensive)
Hamlincourt
 
27
                                  (Offensive)
E Coast
 
30
                                  (Offensive)
La .... village unkown
 
Sep 6
 About 10 mile from Bouquay
Bouguay
20 kilo
11
                                  (Offensive)
Gomecourt
17 kilo
12
                                  (Offensive)
Freemecourt
6 mile
15
                                  (Offensive)
Beaumetz
 
16
                                  (Offensive)
Treseault & Havrengcourt 
Oct 1
                                  (Offensive)
Rebycourt
 
1
 Details
Rebecourt In front of
 
1-8
  
Havrengcourt
 
9
 Billeted in cellars in Brewary
Marquion to  
13
  
Calleniers 4 hours to  
19
  
Quivery to
 
20
 Billeted in Dug outs
Solesmes to
 
24
 Billeted in French Hause
Rumeries to
 
26
 Details
Escarmain to
 
27
  
St Python
 
29
 French People Here
Missners thro Bervelees to 
 
31
  
Quievy
 
Nov 3
  
Rumeries
 
4
  
Trasnoy to
 
8
  
La Longueville
 
10
 Here we learn that the war is over
 
4 mile to 
11
  
Hautmont
 
16
 the village we should have taken on Nov 11
Louvrail or Ferries Le Grant
18
 About a mile from Mauberge
Cousolre
12 miles to
20
  
Lobbes
12 miles to
24
  
Malinnes
12 miles to
25
  
Mettet to
 
26
 “Foot sore & Weary”
Rouillon
11 mile to
28
 “River Meuse”
Sovit
7 mile to
29
  
Pessoux or Trezogne
5 mile to
30
  
Mettinne
13 mile to
Dec 4
  
Soy
10mile to
5
  
Vaux Chavanne
6 mile to
6
  
Odeign
 
7
  
Sart
 
8
  
Rogeny
8 mile to
9
  
Weisten
15 mile to
11
  
Sconberg
14 mile to
12
  
Kronerburge
6 mile to
13
  
Daklem
13 mile to
14
  
Frohngau
10 mile to
15
  
Iversheim
6 mile to
16
  
Eushirolen
10 mile to
17
  
Erp
7 mile to
18
  
Gymnich
 
19
 End of the marching
Duren on to Dunkirk  
 
  One the way home
Dunkirk to  
 
 Hear we have to wait 2 or 3 weeks for a boat, weather very cold, we are only in bell tents but who cares we are on the way “Home”
Tillbury
 
 
Purfleet 
One night 
 
London & “Home”
 
 


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