1 August 1916:

Minden Day. Half holiday. At Whitley with Steel.
This diary entry has helped to explain one of the three group photos that still survives showing Louis with his fellow officers.

Minden day is celebrated by those regiments that are successors to the 10 or so that took part in the Battle of Minden on 1 August 1759 when the Anglo German forces defeated the French. Amongst the regiments that fought were the 51st Foot the forerunners of The Yorkshire Light Infantry.

As they advanced into battle the soldiers plucked wild roses and wore them about their hats and jackets.

So on 1 August those successor regiments celebrate by wearing roses in their caps and jackets and decorating the regimental colours with garlands of roses.

Most regiments celebrate with red roses , but KOYLI wear the White Rose of Yorkshire.  In 1975, 1 August became Yorkshire Day to celebrate the presence of Yorkshire soldiers at The Batttle of Minden.

In the photo below Louis is with his fellow officers , many wearing the white rose. There appears to be a garland hanging behind them ( which looks like the regimental emblem bedecked with roses). Louis is the fifth from the right standing, with 3 roses in his cap and one in his jacket lapel.

29 and 30 July 1916:

At Whitley Bay with Robson and Kit Murray. Letter to Raymond. On Sunday wrote to Cox and Dr Edgecombe ( who saw Louis when he was in ill back in March) with cheques. Letter to Norman.

26 July 1916:

Louis goes to see The Gondoliers in Newcastle. The production is reviewed in the Newcastle press the following day.

22 and 23 July 1916:

Down in Newcastle with Robson.On Sunday at Whitley Bay with Steele for afternoon xx(word not clear).

20 July 1916:

Super. orderly officer (?)

18 and 19 July 1916:

Letter to Beath and on 19 July a concert and boxing in camp. 

17 July 1916:

After Louis short leave he rejoins the battalion ( KOYLI 12th) at Gosforth Park, West Newcastle.

16 July 1916:

 At home, in Broughty ( Ferry)

14and 15 July 1916:

Louis clearly enjoying his leave from the start. At Carnoustie ( possibly playing golf), and met McCorquodale and on Saturday saw tennis tournament and spent the evening in Carnoustie.

12 and 13 July 1916:

Pioneer course finished. Left Reading 7.40 for home on leave. Received F & Ration all for June £5 12s 6d.
Reached Dundee 10.30 am on 13th.

10 and 11 July 1916:

Nilen- being Frank Percy Nilen, one of the two other officers commissioned into KOYLI at the same time as Louis, is 'warned for France'. No classes on 11 July.

War Office Records show that Nilen survived the war, but was captured and held as a prisoner of sarin May 1918, being repatriated in December 1918 following the end of the war.  He died in Salisbury in 1974 aged 80.

8 and 9 July 1916:

Went to London for weekend. Saw Galt, last time and paid 10 (?)
On Sunday went up river to Eel Pie (Island) with Walter and Don.

As with many previous entries it is likely Louis wrote these up subsequently. It is not clear if 'last time' refers to going to London or seeing Galt.  There are no further references in Louis's diary entries to Galt, however this is also his last visit to London, before being posted back to France. 

5 and 6 July 1916:

Wrote Adjutant for leave. Letters also to Beath and Raymond. On 6 July, railway work.

3 July 1916:

Bridging.

2 July 1916:

'Up river from Richmond to Teddington with Walter and 2 HAC men'

30 June and 1 July 1916:

Received £1 18 shillings and 9d Ration all May. No field account. Wrote Adjutant and Cox.
On Sunday went to London and met Walter.

25 June 1916:

Back in Camp on Sunday. Letter to Norman.

23 and 24 June 1916:

Road making , then on Saturday dined at Wellington Club and on toy Palace (presumably theatre)

21 and 22 June 1916:

More mining . Defence scheme at Emmers Green.

19 and 20 June 1916:

Levelling, boring and mining .Working on shafts and galleries. Letter to Raymond.

17 and 18 June 1916:

In London with Walter, Galt, Beath and Don.

14 and 15 June 1916:

Letters to Raymond and Beath. Money order cashed for £15, 15 shillings and 9 pence.

Still working on trenches. 

12 and 13 June 1916:

Letters to Walter, Cox and adjutant.

11 June 1916:

Weekend in camp. With Mckinnon on the river in afternoon.

7 and 8 June 1916:

More digging and making gabions (?) letter to Raymond.

5 and 6 June 1916:

Digging and making 'hurdles'. Letters to Walter and Norman.

3 and 4 June 1916:

Having arrived at Reading , Louis travels to London on Saturday seeing Galt and then to Barnet on Sunday with James Kemp.

1 June 1916:

'Saw Galt in city in morning. Reposted at Pioneer depot , Reading for 6 weeks course.'

30 and 31 May 1916:

'Brough ( unknown) arrived midnight to relieve me'

Finished at Washington . Left Newcastle 10.28 am for Reading. Stopped night at Imperial London.

The Imperial London would have been the Imperial London Hotel at Russell Square, not far from King's Cross.

29 May 1916

'Sent 24 men to fire course. 20 left. Wylie down with pay.'

27 and 28 May 1916

Louis obviously enjoyed the Methodist concert on 27 May. Letter to Norrie on 28 May.
'General and Colonel round work'

24 and 25 May 1916

Letters to Beath and Raymond.

22 May 1916

'Robson's party put in quarantine (32nd??)

16 and 17 May

Letter to Flett. 'RE Colonel round work'
Louis also remember this day commemorates the battle of Festubert the previous year.

12, 13 and 14 May 1916

Letters to Raymond and Beath. 'McMullin down at Washington. Scott returned with party'

9 and 10 May 1916

'Nicholson off for Overseas relieved by Scott. Norrie arrived in London on leave.
Williams round work.'

8 May 1916

A rude awakening for Louis, a s he reports that his men have gone on strike. 4 have gone sick , and using the language of his time '1 mental case'.
The sanitary inspectors call and he is left with 53 men.
Lettre to Walter.

7 May 1916

No mention of rations arriving, but McMullin ( whom Louis had known in Ceylon) arrives with pay for A Company.
Church parade on Sunday.

6 May 1916

Despite the fact Louis was now back in England , wartime living was still hard- 'No rations arrived today'

26 and 27 April 1916

Letters to Adjutant on 26 April for instructions and 27 April for tools. Also 'Engineer officer round work(?)

25 April 1916

'Digging trenches'

24 April 1916

'Went digging with U7s(?) half day'

22 April 1916

'Reached new Washington in charge of 57 men, trenching. Wrote Norrie'

21 April 1916

Letter to Raymond.

20 April 1916

Louis finally joins up with the regiment on 20 April in Gateshead. Letter to Beath.

13 April 1916







Letters to Walter and McMullin. The latter was a friend from Ceylon, who it appears was also in KOYLI.

12 April 1916

Just when Louis appears to be getting better he records that he 'had teeth out'!
Letters to Beath and the (KOYLI?) Adjutant requesting an extra 7 days sick leave.

April 1916:

A photograph of Louis (in the bow tie) with a friend or relative unknown. Date also not certain. Possibly  a planting friend in Ceylon between 1912 and 1914, or in Scotland.

Louis on the right in the photo above . Sometime in Ceylon likely shortly after the end of the  war.