Tommy’s War: A First World War Diary 1913–1918. Andrew Marr

I was not out except for war specials. Typhus broken out among the Germans at Brussels.

       Tuesday, 29 September

      Beautiful day. Agnes and Tommy over at Greenlodge seeing Lily (who is staying there to be nursed) in the afternoon. Cholera has broken out among the Austrians at Vienna.

       Wednesday, 30 September

      Allies pressing the Germans strongly in the Big Battle.⁶³

       Saturday, 3 October

      Big Battle still raging. German attacks shattered the London Scottish at the front. The first Territorial regiment to be in action. Antwerp besieged. Vienna preparing for a siege. All of us in town in afternoon. This is Belgian Flag Day, so we donned our flags.⁶⁴

      The two great battles of 1914, the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of Ypres, were both successes for the Allies. At the beginning of the war a German force advanced through Belgium on its way to France, with the intention of capturing Paris. It was halted after crossing the River Marne, and in September the battle named for that river forced its retreat to the River Aisne. This joint French-British victory, one of the most decisive of the entire war, saved Paris and showed the Germans that they were not an unstoppable force. The Battle of Ypres followed in October and November as the Germans moved towards the French ports in the north of the country. Fierce fighting by the British forces around Ypres saved Calais and other ports from being occupied by the Germans.

       Thursday, 8 October

      Another 100 wounded arrive at Stobhill. 1,500 Glasgow tramwaymen with the colours.⁶⁵

       Monday, 12 October

      Agnes went to Greenlodge at night to see Lily. Andrew came up to keep me company.

       Wednesday, 14 October

      Agnes says Tommy is growing too quick, so we got him another bottle of emulsion.⁶⁶

       Thursday, 15 October

      Agnes and Tommy over at Greenlodge in the afternoon to see Lily, whose condition is very grave. Hopeless, I think, but can only hope for the best. Fleet of liners arrives in England from Canada. Hunt for German submarines on Scottish coast. We sunk one. 3,000 Belgian refugees are coming to Glasgow.

       Friday, 16 October

      Fine day but nippy, foggy morning. Saw crowds of the Belgian refugees today, a moving sight. I take my hat off to them.⁶⁷

       Sunday, 18 October

      Beautiful day. Agnes at communion today. After dinner we all went to the Sighthill graveyard.⁶⁸

       Thursday, 22 October

      Wholesale arrests of Germans all over Britain.

       Saturday, 24 October

      Most bloody fighting on the Belgian coast, by earth, air, water and under the water.

       Wednesday, 28 October

      Got a telephone message from John today that Lily was sinking rapidly and that the end was expected any moment. I went out before dinner to see her. She was breathing and no more. Agnes went out in the afternoon and I went at 6 p.m. but the end had already come. My father had been telegraphed to come home and Agnes and Nellie met him at the station.⁶⁹

       Friday, 30 October

      Took the day off my work. Nannie Gordon came here in the forenoon and took Wee Tommy away to Ibrox, and then we went to Greenlodge. The funeral left after 3 p.m. and in Rutherglen Cemetery we finally laid poor Lily to rest. It was a cold, wet day, a fit end to this tragedy, for the more I think of it, the more I realise the bitter tragedy of it all. Agnes went down to Ibrox at night for Tommy, and I went home with father. I was more than pleased to see my wee man again. I missed the little rascal more than I could have thought. He seems more precious than ever now.

       Sunday, 1 November

      Very dull day. None of us out at all. I’m afraid our thoughts were gloomy, and the day lasted a hundred years. Agnes not feeling well at all. Everything is wrong.

       Monday, 2 November

      Wee Isa here in afternoon and evening.⁷⁰ Sam, Nellie and John came at night. Poor John. A sad, weary figure. He has got to plough his lonely furrow now. Great bayonet charge by the London Scottish, the first Territorial regiment in action.⁷¹ Bavarians routed.

       Wednesday, 4 November

      Father off to Edinburgh today for a little before he settles down in Greenlodge. The Elder’s wife, Mrs McCracken, here today, to see if we needed any charity owing to the war.⁷² So far, we don’t. The factor called today and robbed us of some money.

       Sunday, 8 November

      Tommy very sick today. We find at night that he has got the

      chicken pox.

       Friday, 13 November

      British casualties to 31 October: 57,000.

       Saturday, 14 November

      Hard frost today. After dinner, I went part of the ‘complete’ walk, a memory of my courting days, but I was alone, the pleasure was gone. When I came in, Lily was in. No need now, alas, to say wee Lily. It’s hard yet to realise that Lily is gone for ever. British army to be raised to over two million men.

       Monday, 16 November

      The war is costing us £1 million a day. My salary won’t pay it.

       Tuesday, 17 November

      We are now the proud possessors of a new hall clock, a sewing machine which Agnes does not know how to work, and a bed we don’t know what to do with.⁷³ We spent the night stowing them away, and I put up the clock. I will need to increase my insurance policy.

       Wednesday, 18 November

      Tommy’s chicken pox seems to be on the wane (this is not a pun).⁷⁴