Читать книгу Tommy’s War: A First World War Diary 1913–1918 - Andrew Marr, Andrew Marr - Страница 9

The war makes its first appearance in Thomas’ diary on the day Austria and ‘Servia’, as it was sometimes written, were first at war, followed by reports of the armies of Russia, then Germany, then ‘all Europe’ mobilising. Britain entered the war when Germany invaded Belgium, since Britain and Belgium had a mutual defence treaty. On 4 August 1914, the British government declared war on Germany, King George V called out the Territorials and the government nationalised the railways. As the year progresses, Thomas charts the actions that made this ‘world’ war different from any other conflict. In August he notes that this is ‘the biggest war in the world’s history’ and that ‘a few million men’ are taking part in a battle in Belgium; in September he writes that British shipping is falling prey to German submarines but that British aviators have ‘fried’ a Zeppelin shed in Cologne; in October, he sees crowds of Belgian refugees in Glasgow and records ‘fighting by earth, air, water and under the water’; in November he notes that the war is costing Britain £1 million a day; and in December records the first of the German air raids on the east coast of England.

Thursday, 1 January

A Happy New Year to you. On holiday today. All of us at Greenlodge Terrace.¹ There at 6 p.m. John and Lily² also there. Home 11.30 p.m.

Monday, 5 January

Our ‘lum’ makes the most unholy noise when the wind blows, and the man below came up about 10 p.m. and said he couldn’t sleep for it.³ My oh my.

Tuesday, 6 January

Wrote a love letter to the factor about the lum. This is Epiphany.

Friday, 9 January

Man up today greasing the ‘whirly’ on our lum.

Saturday, 10 January

Went to the library for some moral books in the afternoon. Wrote Duncan tonight.⁴

Friday, 16 January

Very foggy and frosty. Not very well myself at night. Took some castor oil, so help me bob.⁵ Sat in front of the fire all night and made myself comfortable.

Wednesday, 21 January

Agnes very ill at night. Bathed her feet, gave her a hot drink and put her to bed.

Thursday, 22 January

Agnes in bed as much as possible today.

Saturday, 24 January

Went to the library in the afternoon and for ‘messages’.⁶

Sunday, 25 January

Wild, stormy day. Agnes worse again today. Lily came in for a little in the afternoon to see her. Third Sunday after Epiphany. First Sunday after pay day.

Thursday, 29 January

Tommy not well at all, so I went for the doctor at night. Doctor came, took his temperature, which was 101 0 [Fahrenheit]⁷, shook his head and looked serious. May develop into quite a lot of other things. Got a new hygienic pipe (6d).

Friday, 30 January

Doc up again seeing Tommy. His temperature still 102°. Got him a bottle to reduce same. Doctor puzzled. Wee man cheerier at night.

Saturday, 31 January

Doctor up today. Wee man just the same. Doctor can’t tell what’s wrong. We are getting a bit anxious about Tommy. Poor wee man.

Sunday, 1 February

Doctor up again. Tommy’s temperature down to 100°. Doctor doesn’t know yet why he is not well, but says it isn’t measles, fever, diphtheria or pneumonia. Sam up, Lily up, and Mrs Carmichael in to see the young man.⁸ Gave Tommy an extra large dose of castor oil.

Monday, 2 February

We did not sleep much during the night. The oil did its duty right nobly and we were kept on the hop. I was at work early, to wit 6.45 a.m. to let some engineers in. Wee man much better, temperature down to normal. Doctor was here. Agnes about pegged out now.

Tuesday, 3 February

Wee Tommy up for an hour and a half at night. Quite shaky on his feet. He was very cross all day. Agnes’ patience exhausted by night. Sad times.

Wednesday, 4 February

Doctor up. We are to get Tommy’s tonsils cut. Holy Moses.

Saturday, 7 February

Hetty came here shortly after 3, so we all had a pleasant evening. Saw her away by 9.12 from Central.⁹

Tuesday, 10 February

Chased a mouse at night. Nobody hurt but myself.

Wednesday, 11 February

Agnes at doctor with Tommy arranging about the amputation of his tonsils. He is coming on Sunday to do the dismal deed. Agnes bought a mousetrap so set it at night with great expectations.

Thursday, 12 February

Looked at the trap this morning. The mouse had eaten the bait but left the trap as it couldn’t eat it also. Better luck next time.

Friday, 13 February

A small mouse was in the trap this morning. Agnes most melancholy. Sad times. It’s getting near Sunday. Poor wee man.

Saturday, 14 February

Caught another mouse. Weeping skies today. Doctor up at night saying he could not come tomorrow as his assistant doctor would be away, so we have put it off for a week. Another weary week. This is St Valentine’s Day.

Sunday, 15 February

Nell Ruth up for a little, also Lily and John.¹⁰ Agnes just about done up, with the anxiety and worry, and then to wait another week. Still sad times.

Thursday, 19 February

Stuffed up the hole where the mice come in to see us, in case we are devoured.

Friday, 20 February

Wee man very restless during the night, so we slept not, perchance a flea was chewing him, or perhaps it is some new trouble. ‘Mon père’ here at dinner time, and Mrs and Miss Gordon in the afternoon.

Saturday, 21 February

It’s getting nearer tomorrow. My hair is getting grey.

Sunday, 22 February

Wild morning and wet. Mrs Gordon came up about 10.45. Doctor Drevor came up about 11.30 and then Dr Gardiner shortly after. We got shaky then. Poor Wee Tommy stretched on the table, chloroformed, and his tonsils cut and adenoids removed. It lasted about 10 minutes but left a poor wee sick sore boy. Mrs Gordon went away about 4.15. Andrew came in for a little, also Mrs Cormack, then Lily and Mrs Carmichael. Mrs Brown came to the door and wee John McCort was up.¹¹ Sad times.

Monday, 23 February

Wee man had to be nursed all day, his throat very sore. Nell Ruth up in the morning. Mrs Gordon and Nannie here in the afternoon.¹² Josephine here at night.¹³ Wee man a little cheerier at bedtime. Mrs Cormack came up for a little at night. Agnes nearly all out.

Wednesday, 25 February

Wee man still finds it difficult to swallow and has a stiff neck.

Thursday, 26 February

Mrs Gordon up in the forenoon, also the doctor. Tommy got a very bad cold and his neck has to be rubbed with olive oil. Lily up for a little in the afternoon. Tommy very wretched at night. Not well at all.

Friday, 27 February

Agnes washed the stairs. Tommy’s cold much the same, but he is fearfully cross. Agnes ‘fed up’.

Saturday, 28 February

Doctor up in the forenoon. Thinks Tommy all right now except for his cold. He is not coming back ‘grâce à Dieu’.¹⁴ Went to the library in the afternoon. Pouring wet day. Tommy behaving like a little fiend. Agnes got a sore back and shoulders. She is having her doubts about the operation now. Extra melancholy.

Sunday, 1 March

Very wet day (of course). Tommy seems in better spirits. Poor Agnes in a state of collapse today. Took a walk around the ‘100 Acre Dyke’ after dinner.¹⁵ Agnes had to lie down for a little today.

Monday, 2 March

Cold, windy, wet day (again, of course). Wee man fine today. Did a little joiner work at night. Got my hair cut. Trout fishing begins today.

Tuesday, 3 March

Weather same as yesterday, only worse. Agnes washed the stairs. Tommy’s neck seems to have more joints in it now.

Thursday, 5 March

Weather beastly, heavy rain, the quintessence of cussedness. Tommy quite well now.

Tuesday, 10 March

Chased a mouse in the scullery last night, but caught it not.¹⁶

Wednesday, 11 March

Agnes very ill during the night and not at all well today.

Thursday, 12 March

Agnes in the wash-house in the afternoon.¹⁷

Saturday, 14 March

Agnes very ill at night, sick and vomiting and wild sort of pains inside. Am greatly alarmed.

Sunday, 15 March

Agnes very ill during the night and vomited a lot. It is the bile. Feeling a little better during the day. Jenny Roxburgh here about 2 p.m.¹⁸ She brought Agnes a nice white shawl. Jenny left about 8.30 p.m. and I saw her on to a Dalmuir car at Glasgow Cross.¹⁹

Wednesday, 18 March

Agnes in good form today. She broke the teapot and broke a bowl at night when she was baking, and spilled treacle all over the carpet. Glad I didn’t do it.

Sunday, 22 March

A very nice day. Tommy got a bad cold and Agnes got a very sore head. Before dinner I took a long walk. Pollokshaws, Cowglen Road and Crookston. Took the car back from there as I was late.

Monday, 23 March

We got no sleep all last night. The wee man saw to that. He complained of a sore head, a sore tooth, a sore belly, a sore ear, a sore knee.

Saturday, 28 March

Slave trade abolished 1807. I entered into bondage 10/6/10.

Sunday, 29 March

All of us at Clydebank, nestling in the bosom of the Roxburgh family.

Tuesday, 31 March

Nannie Henderson here in the forenoon, saying goodbye as she is going to Australia.²⁰ I did not see her, so I shed tears (je ne pense pas).²¹

Wednesday, 1 April

Agnes has got a very sore head. I have got a most cussed cold in my head. I want to kill somebody.

Saturday, 4 April

This is the ‘International’, so in the afternoon I took the wife and family to the vicinity of Mount Florida and watched the folk coming away from the match.²² I counted about three million of them. England 1, Scotland 3.²³

Friday, 10 April

Cleaned all the windows tonight, and Agnes polished the marble staircase.

Saturday, 11 April

Dull sort of day. Coldish. Took Agnes and Tommy in the afternoon to see the Barrows and then we went to Bow’s and bought a new pot (2/3).

Monday, 13 April

This is the spring holiday, so it rained and it rained and it stormed. John came about 10 a.m. to take me a walk of about 30 miles.²⁴ Being quite ‘compos mentis’ I firmly but gently declined.²⁵

Wednesday, 15 April

Agnes cleaned out the room and we rearranged the furniture and shifted the piano to make folk think we had a lot of new stuff.

Thursday, 16 April

Agnes at Ibrox and then at Kingston Halls with the Gordons to a ‘Kinderspiel’.²⁶ She got home 11 p.m.

Saturday, 18 April

Delightful day. After dinner we took car to Pollok Estate and recreated ourselves and then walked to Dumbreck Terminus and got car home.²⁷ Took a walk out myself at night and bought myself a new pipe (1/–).

Sunday, 19 April

Took a walk this morning to Queen’s Park before breakfast. After breakfast had a seat in Toryglen Golf Course. After dinner had Tommy out for a brace of hours in Queen’s Park. Mrs Livingstone not out at all. Weather couldn’t be better.