Diary of W.G. Skinner

DIARY OF W.G.SKINNER

Rifleman, later Acting Sergeant W.G. Skinner kept a diary form 1892 to 1900 while serving in the Rifle Brigade in England and India. This is reproduced on this website, in full up to August 1893 and summarised from then onward.

The original diary is held in the archives of the Regimental Museum of the Royal Green Jackets at the Peninsula Barracks, Romsey Road, Winchester, Hants, SO23 8TS, England. Telephone number 01962 828549.

To view the diary click on the appropriate date range in the list below:

19 April 1892 - 31 January 1893. Enlists as private at St. George's Barracks London. Sent to Portsmouth and then Devenport.
1 February 1893 - 28 February 1893. Devenport: Physical Drill, marching, church parade, guard duty, kit inspection, parade, weapons drill, lectures, manoeuvres, digging trenches, sword drill,
1 March 1893 - 31 March 1893 Devenport: As above plus leisure activities, walks alone around the neighbourhood, gymnasium, attends the Good Templars Lodge, inspected by Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales visits, sick parade, clothing issue, bed filling with straw, fatigues, another soldier injured in gymnasium and dies, songs and recitations at the club, burial of a soldier, escorting prisoners, volley firing,
1 April 1893 - 30 April 1893 Devenport: Firing practice, physical drill, goes to a boxing booth, at a fair, goes to Tregantle
1 May 1893 - 31 May 1893 Tregantle (in camp): firing practice, returns to Devenport, sees policeman attacked, grand review for Queen's birthday,
1 June 1893 - 30 June 1893 Devenport: Sentry duty, went to Tregantle again, eight men to a tent, took part in shooting competition, went fishing, returned to Devenport, guard duty, received prize of five shillings from Lady Hamilton
1 July 1893 - 31 July 1893 Devenport
2 August 1893 - 31 January 1894 Devenport: marched to Okehampton and pitched tent, on course for telephone operators, heard Mr. Gladstone's speech on phonograph, passed third class artificer, went on leave to Sevenoaks, back to Devenport.
1 February 1894 - 24 December 1894 Devenport: Received Good Conduct pay on completion of two years service, first class shot, left Plymouth for barracks in Portsmouth, marched to Aldershot, Queen Victoria visits Aldershot, part of Queen's guard, visit of the German Emperor, went on leave.
28 December 1894 - 14 December 1895 Southhampton: embarked on the Diluara, seasick, pumps, Bay of Biscay, more pumping, more seasickness, Suez Canal, Aden, Bombay, arrived at Dooloia, arrived at Khandia, Hoshang, Alighar, Umballa, Lahore, Rawal Pindi, march to Gharrial
15 December 1895 - 31 December 1896 Treet, Thaldana
1 January 1897 - 8 January 1898 Treet, Rawal Pindi, placed in second brigade for Tochi Valley expedition, train to Kulsagurak,march to Gambal, feeling ill, Kohat, hospital, Chikama, Lachi, Bundo, Bannu, Saidgi, Idak, Sochi River, Marin Shah, Boya, Data Khel, Shrannai, Mizar, return to Rawal Pindi , Umballa
5 April 1898 - 27 December 1898 Solan, appointed acting Corporal, Umballa, march to Rawal Pindi,
2 28 December 1898 - 5 October 1899 Rawal Pindi, Huldana
3 June 1900 Rawal Pindi

Last updated 10/2/02

19 April 1892 - 31 January 1893.	Enlists as private at St. George's Barracks London. Sent to Portsmouth and then Devenport.
1 February 1893 - 28 February 1893.	Devenport: Physical Drill, marching, church parade, guard duty, kit inspection, parade, weapons drill, lectures, manoeuvres, digging trenches, sword drill,
1 March 1893 - 31 March 1893	Devenport: As above plus leisure activities, walks alone around the neighbourhood, gymnasium, attends the Good Templars Lodge, inspected by Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales visits, sick parade, clothing issue, bed filling with straw, fatigues, another soldier injured in gymnasium and dies, songs and recitations at the club, burial of a soldier, escorting prisoners, volley firing,
1 April 1893 - 30 April 1893	Devenport: Firing practice, physical drill, goes to a boxing booth, at a fair, goes to Tregantle
1 May 1893 - 31 May 1893	Tregantle (in camp): firing practice, returns to Devenport, sees policeman attacked, grand review for Queen's birthday,
1 June 1893 - 30 June 1893	Devenport: Sentry duty, went to Tregantle again, eight men to a tent, took part in shooting competition, went fishing, returned to Devenport, guard duty, received prize of five shillings from Lady Hamilton
1 July 1893 - 31 July 1893	Devenport
2 August 1893 - 31 January 1894	Devenport: marched to Okehampton and pitched tent, on course for telephone operators, heard Mr. Gladstone's speech on phonograph, passed third class artificer, went on leave to Sevenoaks, back to Devenport.
1 February 1894 - 24 December 1894	Devenport: Received Good Conduct pay on completion of two years service, first class shot, left Plymouth for barracks in Portsmouth, marched to Aldershot, Queen Victoria visits Aldershot, part of Queen's guard, visit of the German Emperor, went on leave.
28 December 1894 - 14 December 1895	Southhampton: embarked on the Diluara, seasick, pumps, Bay of Biscay, more pumping, more seasickness, Suez Canal, Aden, Bombay, arrived at Dooloia, arrived at Khandia, Hoshang, Alighar, Umballa, Lahore, Rawal Pindi, march to Gharrial
15 December 1895 - 31 December 1896	Treet, Thaldana
1 January 1897 - 8 January 1898	Treet, Rawal Pindi, placed in second brigade for Tochi Valley expedition, train to Kulsagurak,march to Gambal, feeling ill, Kohat, hospital, Chikama, Lachi, Bundo, Bannu, Saidgi, Idak, Sochi River, Marin Shah, Boya, Data Khel, Shrannai, Mizar, return to Rawal Pindi , Umballa
5 April 1898 - 27 December 1898	Solan, appointed acting Corporal, Umballa, march to Rawal Pindi,
2 28 December 1898 - 5 October 1899	Rawal Pindi, Huldana
3 June 1900	Rawal Pindi