My grandfather's journal begins:
August
4th
‘
General Mobilization, will it be declared?’ was the thought with me all day. My
dear wife first gave me the news, but then I could not believe it, until we
walked to the post office and saw the Official Declaration. And then I knew
that, I should have to leave my home and dear ones — for ‘ Where?’ that was my
one great thought.
And
until then I never realized what it all meant; with the conflicting thoughts of
my dear ones, and the fascination that I was going to participate in a
real scrap. My mind was in a real whirl, and was so until I left home next day,
for Newcastle-on-Tyne. And then —
‘Where?’
August 5th
I do not dwell on the thought of leaving my dear little wife,
my mother, and baby — the journey up north was one of enthusiasm, for the train
was packed with reservists, rejoining the Colours, as I, and all, seemed
absolutely mad to go and obliterate Germany!