July 1st, 1916

Today has been quite exciting but shocking actually. It was me and the lads first day training and seeing our trenches. Training was fun. I got to hold my rifle for the first time! The trenches were worse than I expected them to be, I know they're trenches but I thought we would have our own space. The officers and generals were banned from going over the top. The food is absolutely horrible. Getting decent hot food from the field kitchens to the front line trenches could be impossible. All I really had today was canned meat which was horrible. Though this is my first day so I can't really complain. I would explain my day to day routine but I've forget most of it. We basically have to wake up an hour before sun up and some of my mates today were taught how to do patrols. Then we had breakfast and did our chores. To be honest we haven't done much today anyway

In spite of that, I'm looking forward for the adventure of a life time. At least that's what they told me when I signed up for the war, would I say I'm patriotic? Kind of, I don't really want to get killed by the 'Hun' who would.

Dear diary
1st July 1916 written of the western front it is July the 1st 1916 the start of the battle of the Somme, we had to go out the trenches and walk into no-mans land. I can't believe I survived! The aim of this battle is to draw German forces away from the battle of Verdun. Where the French forces are suffering serve losses. We are going to get out of the trenches and charge to the enemies just like our commanders ordered us to do. We can't do anything about it. It's there orders and I bet they wouldn't care if I died. They've got plenty of soldiers. In fact 500,000 died today. How can they forget and think nothing happened