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

Thursday, 19 November

      Working late. This is stocktaking day.

       Friday, 27 November

      Dirty wet day. An old girl of mine, Mrs Robertson, dropped in at night.⁷⁵ British army in Belgium ‘covered with honour and glory’. Outlook for Allies ‘very good and full of promise’. Russia’s great triumph ‘colossal and decisive’.⁷⁶

       Wednesday, 2 December

      Tommy got a bad cough. Made him a wee bridge at night and bought him a new slate.⁷⁷ Glasgow Territorials now in the trenches in France.

       Members of the Black Watch in the trenches.

       Thursday, 3 December

      Wild, stormy, wet day. Tommy still got a bad cough and Agnes greatly worried thereby. I put up a shelf in the pantry for the household boots. Belgrade taken by the Austrians.

       Friday, 4 December

      Stormy day. Some rain. Tommy’s cold much worse. Agnes in the depths of despair. All German attacks repulsed in Flanders.

       Saturday, 5 December

      Bitter cold day. Tommy a little better and Agnes is thusly in a better frame of mind. German trenches captured.

       Sunday, 6 December

      The ‘lum’ went on fire while breakfast was being made, which delayed the breakfast somewhat. We took it in the dining room, and then I cleaned all the flues, which seemed badly needing it.

       Wednesday, 9 December

      Hetty here tonight, which pleased us greatly. We are always glad to see her. Nellie arrived about 9 p.m. with some pictures from John for us.⁷⁸ Allies progressing in Flanders.

       Monday, 14 December

      Agnes and Tommy went in the afternoon to Tollcross to see an old girl of mine (Mrs Robertson) and I went straight from my work.

       Wednesday, 16 December

      My father and Isa here at tea time. German raid on east coast of England – Hartlepool, Scarborough, Redcar and Whitby shelled by the devils, and then they ran back to their kennel. 130 people killed and 300 wounded.

       Thursday, 17 December

      We arranged the pictures in the room at night.⁷⁹ I wrote to the factor about our lum, as it has struck work.

       Sunday, 20 December

      The ground white with frost today. Took a big walk before dinner. Through Queen’s Park to Shawlands Cross, then car to Pollokshaws West and walked along Cowglen Road and down past Crookston Castle and on to Half Way House and car home. Agnes very ill at night, and I had to apply hot flannels to her.

       Thursday, 24 December

      Tommy got his first Xmas present of the season, a book of boats from Hetty and we got cards. Nannie and Ella here at night, and they gave Tommy a motor car. I sent off a few hundred Xmas cards tonight. ⁸⁰ German airplane drops a bomb on Dover. No damage done.

       Friday, 25 December

      Got away today at 12.30. We got a few more cards and Tommy got a teddy bear from his uncle John, and a wee card like a horse from Jenny Roxburgh. Agnes not in good form. She has a sore head, so we did not go out at all. Big Russian victory.⁸¹

       Saturday, 26 December

      Took a walk to Paisley and car back. German aeroplane off Sheerness but it got chased. Rumours of great naval activity by Germans getting ready for ‘Der Tag’.⁸²

       Monday, 28 December

      Mr Crozier sent Tommy a big wooden horse today. Cuxhaven, the German naval base, bombarded by seven British waterplanes, assisted by the cruisers Dauntless and Arethusa, and submarines and destroyers. These were attacked by two German Zeppelins and some aeroplanes, but were easily driven off. The first fight of its kind in the world’s history.

       Wednesday, 30 December

      My niece Lily here at night. Bought a new hat for my Ne’erday.

       Thursday, 31 December

      After dinner we went into the town and bought Tommy a new coat (15/-) and cap (1/6). Not out again. We will now sit up and watch the New Year come in.

1 Thomas’ father, Joseph Livingstone, lived at 3 Greenlodge Terrace, Bridgeton.

2 Lily was Thomas’ sister, married to John White.

3 Lum is a Scottish word for chimney.

4 Duncan was Thomas’ brother, who lived between Belfast and Glasgow.

5 Castor oil was used to ease constipation and induce vomiting. ‘So help me bob’ is a bowdlerisation of the Christian oath ‘So help me God.’ Usually rendered in Scotland as ‘Help ma boab.’

6 ‘Going for the messages’ is a Glasgow expression for going out for grocery shopping.

7 The equivalent temperature in Celsius is 38°.

8 Mrs Carmichael was a neighbour in the same tenement as the Livingstones.