Entries by Carl Parsons

We have no news of Dorrie except that she reached Brindisi Aug 5 & wrote from Venice Aug 10 that they cannot get on & intend to return.
We have now got all our kit & and will probably join the battalion early next week

The Journal this month has come out with the announcement that I won the silver medal and first prize of the city and Guilds examination in brewing
nothing particularly eventful as happened in the war No naval engagement has taken place and not big land battles either. The papers have said a lot about Belgian victories but the fact remains that the Germans own front of Namur and are close to Brussels that the government have left it.

the kit above mentioned has not turned up yet. We have done our necessary 40 drills and also some miniature range shooting but are still waiting for the rest of our kit we have bought our own uniforms. I soon settle down again to the Morris tube and got a possible 25 yards.

Morris Aiming tube

Events have moved quickly. We declare war at midnight last night on Germany. She is also at war with France and Russia and Belgium.
I went down to Wellingborough on sat but could not rest I came back on Monday afternoon looked Kibble up and went to the artists headquarters with him. Nothing doing again last night and was accepted. Recruits join in mobilisation today we are told very certain but good nevertheless. Had told no one bar Danielle of my intentions. Only a hint to Father. We don't know where where we are going.
Later
Have been hanging about headquarters all the morning there is a shortage of kit & men rejoining have been given the preference today We are told we will get ours tomorrow. Battalion sleeps at home tonight & probably this arrangement will hold for a week

Of contraband leading the Port of London while Mr James Young coming up from Portsmouth says that Portsmouth Harbour has been close our 1st 2nd & 3rd Fleet have put to sea and and troop trains are moving, while the Isle of White packet boats have been commandeered for possible transport duties. At midday we heard here that the stock exchange has been closed indefinitely in the bank rate has gone up to 8%.
The position is very serious indeed and brings home to one most fably what a defenceless and helpless position one is in without any description of military training. Personally I must confirm that I regret I have not joined the territorial Force before
my movements for the week and are made uncertain for even If I do get down to Wellingborough I may have some difficulty in getting back, however tomorrow may bring News one way or the other. I wish I knew where Dorrie was, she was to have left Alexandria on the 25th and was coming home through Italy. She is probably in that country at present but if these mobilising's move months go on she will certainly not be able to come across the continent. Her best place will be back in Egypt's I should think
Friday evening we learn that martial law had been reclaimed in Germany but rather reassuring sign was that the Prince Henry of Prussia had gone on a peace mission to St Petersburg

Serious news also comes from Eastern Europe after the assassination of the Austrian ground due some weeks ago the origin of the plot was traced to a Belgrade and Austria has on this pretext made certain strong demands since Serbia for apologies etc, Servia gave a favourable reply to the practicality all of these but Austria is nevertheless not satisfied and the war seems probable it seems that Servia will not allow Austrian emissary is to calm and try a subject on our own soil for their complicity in the murder of the Archduke.

On Tuesday Austria declared war. The outlook seems bad. Russia has declared her

Collision between the nationalist volunteers in Dublin and the police and military. There are fair arose in the connection with the landing of arms or volunteers, the troops being attached by the mob as they return to the city after trying to intercept them. The troops fired and three persons were killed

We got away at 9.15. That's morning I did not buy a I strained my back again the day before and thought it wise not to go and get up to lechdale and on the Round House at Inglesham here we found the seven Canal disused and out of repair we were told that the river was good up to Ransford but Kibble was nervous lest the boat might get stranded by the water going down. We have a look round lechdale but I got little pleasure out of it as my back was very painful having given

We got through the we are about 9:30 they called up the we're boards making the drop of about a foot in this case into a torrent and the boat has to steam up it. I helped with the line but she nearly did it herself Kings weir the next one is a much bigger affair but we did that alright and also the smaller Smaller one an Eynsham, where I took some photos. There is another at Harts. We had lunch just beyond Evesham tea at 10ft bridge where we fell in with a party of girls who we towed up to Tadpole. We stopped at radical rage a charming spot at 8. We walked into Cranfield a charming village & after a drink at the Swan where all work drunk we turned in.

Next morning we did some shopping & Got going about 11 at Benson lock we were startled by a pretty girl falling in their she put to little boys ashore she was however in the shallow water and will soon pulled out by a lady with her and taken to the lock house, of them more anon. The day was fine but not warm. We had tea at 5 after Iffley lock. We pushed through Oxford moored below Medley weir about 7. I went up into the town for letters leaving Kibble to have his supper he was out when I got back from mine. I wrote to Marjorie. We had some rain that evening

Sunday morning we were awakened by a shower at 6.0 we got up and got away before nine though whether gradually cleared. We had lunch just beyond sinning bit when we got past Pangbourne we came into a heavy shower I returned to the In and cable took her on through it. We had tea when it stopped and eventually got to Wallingford about 7.0 Arcturus record run for the boat of 34 miles.

Wallingford I thought a charming spot we took a look round the town and saw them brewery & Roman earthworks. We moored just below the old block an ideal spot

On Saturday we were up at 6.45 . We had neither slept very well and them morning was dull, we had a bath and got of about 10. We made a short stop at Datchet to get some petrol and reach Windsor at 12.0 . We anchored just above Boveney for lunch and the weather had of them quite okayd up. We found the stream so strong that we could make but for progress and did not reach Born end till well after 4. We had tea there and did a bit of sailing but as rain was threat Anyway we pushed on to Marlow it was regatta day there and we came in just at the end. I did some shopping and after supper we watch the fireworks. We moored for the night on the cement wall just above Bisham a very good spot as it turned out

On Sunday I escaped but terrible thunderstorm

On Sunday I escaped but terrible thunderstorm that centred over Wandsworth. Six people were killed by lightning on Wandsworth Common and two died later while the rain was so heavy as to cause floods in several places and two of our publicans cellers were flooded in Rochester we had no sign of it

As a result of discussions at home much deliberation on my part I wrote to Marjorie asking her if she would like to go for our holiday to Ostend I wrote to Mrs Edwards at the same time I got favourable replies are both so that is settled and we start on July 10

I left the brewery in a troubled state on Friday and went down to Shepperton with Kibble by the 2.55 from Putney. A thunderstorm met us so after hanging about in this station is sometime we adjourned to a pub for tea. Eventually we got away at 5.30 but our troubles were not over but the accumulators broke down we eventually reached Staines soon after 8.0 and stayed there For the night at a boathouse at the backwater. Before turning in we have walk around and took the accumulators to the power station to be charged. They did not really undertake this sort of work but fortunately we found the chief of the shop and he took a great interest in the job and put them on all night. As it proved it was the most succesful recharge we have all the time