26 January 1916

Louis arrived in Oxford the following day. He was  to stay at Wadham College for the following 6 weeks. Unsurprisingly the trip from Dundee to Oxford took Louis via London and he stops in on Beath while there.

25 January 1916

The day after Norman leaves for France, Louis leaves Dundee for Oxford and his Officer training.

24 January 1916

The following day, Norman was headed back to France and Louis saw him off.

23 January 1916

A lovely entry. On 23 January Louis was at Carnoustie with two of his 3 brothers. Raymond and Norrie (Norman) . All were keen golfers and this must have come as a welcome respite from the trenches. 

19 January 1916

 Only infrequent diary entries while Louis was still on leave. Letter to Beath on 19 January.

13 January 1916

Letters to Flett and Hollingworth. Louis notes that he saw 'Merry' but it is not known who this was.

 12 January 1916

Louis's promotion occurred on 12 January 1916. This was his first diary entry of the new year.

The London Gazette of 25 January 1916 published the following entry:

The King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
The undermentioned to be temporary Second Lieutenants ( On Probation)
Dated 12 January 1916
Cyril Arthur Pettit
Frank Percy Nilen
Louis Harley

Given the attrition of Second Lieutenants it is gratifying sand surprising that all of the above survived the war. 

January 1916:

Throughout 1915 Louis had been using a 1912 diary which he had to amend in order to match up days and dates. For 1916 he finally had the correct year's diary!

This diary contains a small pencil which still survives and which was was used today a hundred years later to record the above image. 

31 December 1915:

After a number of days in London Louis continues his extended leave , returning home on new year's eve. A Scottish Hogmanay.

30 December 1915:

28 December 1915:

25 December 1915:

With Beath and went to the Vine (?).

24 December 1915:

On Christmas Eve 1915 Louis is with Beath and his brothers Norrie ( Norman ) and Walter. Norman also had come through 1915 with the 4th Black Watch

15 December 1915:

Letter to Flett.

14 December 1915:

A trip to the London Coliseum in the afternoon and then sees Walter and Hollingworth.

Hollingworth was clearly a good friend, whom Louis refers to throughout his time in France. Louis's diary includes an address for Hollingsworth which provides further details.

Private LA Hollingworth Scots Guards 12286.

using this reference it is possible to build a picture of who Hollingworth was.

Livingstone Alexander Hollingworth was born in Perth in 1891. Before the War , like Louis, he left Scotland, in his case traveling to Buenos Aires. As with Louis he returned in 1914 to sign up.

He arrived on 1 November at Liverpool and joined the Scots Guards. The above extract is from the Dundee Evening Telegraph and Post 23 December 1914.

Hollingworth survived the War, and his medals roll card can still be viewed.

He travelled again after the War , this time to Aden as a a Commercial Agent. He died in 1947 in Scotland, having married Sylvia in 1937.

Based on public member trees they had two children .

It is not known how much contact Louis and Hollingworth had after the War.  

13 December 1915:

Louis sees Beath, Walter (Harley) and Brown.
Both Walter and Brown were with him in Ceylon.

12 December 1915:

Wellington must be a reference to Wellington Barracks.

11 December 1915:

Back in London.

10 December 1915:

Stays night at Ripon breaking his journey:



The hotel is still there is the Market Place Ripon.

9 December 1915:

Louis leaves Broughty Ferry and heads down to London.

30 November 1915:

Letters to Hamblin and Hollingworth