“AS we passed our own dead, their comrades had placed wild flowers on their bodies. It made our blood boil. It made us swear an oath of vengeance when the opportunity arose.”

When Patricia Mackenzie reads these words from a diary written in the trenches of the First World War they have extra poignancy for her.

The diary, copperplate writing in a humble A3 jotter, was penned by the best friend of her grandfather Edwin Ramsdale who chronicled life for them both during the Battle of Mons and beyond.Edwin joined up aged just 16 with his best friend Harold Wood on April 9, 1913 and most days of their time together with the King’s First Rifles are covered in the ‘emotional’ pages.

Mrs Mackenzie, 64, a retired home economics teacher from Newton Mearns, Glasgow, said the diaries showed the great friendship between the two soldiers, with Harold relieved when her grandfather was injured and sent back home to the ‘safety’ of the UK.

“There’s also a great sense of the feeling of frustration among the men,” she said. “They wanted to do more, to push forward. They make very interesting reading. My grandfather never talked about the war, I don’t think many people did.”

The entries, which begin on August 3, 1914, are interspersed with details of the soldiers' manoeuvres – written quite matter-of-factly – and how they struggled on meagre food rations. They were continually trying to supplement them with what they could forage locally. One jubilant entry tells how Harold “went out and got six rabbits” and, combined with rations, the troop felt full for the first time in weeks.

Others tell of the relentless physical demands and weariness the men faced.

“August 25: At dawn we were once more on our way again. We try to hold the enemy back.

“We marched almost 25 miles, deadbeat. We struggled on in the hope of a comfortable rest.

“A large force of German cavalry was reported in front [of us]. We were almost captured; a fight ensued but didn’t last long. We were wet through as it started pouring down in torrents.”

The entry ends back on food again. “We went to our billets hungry, tired and wet. Later, we had a drop of fresh soup to sustain us.”

Another details how Harold got lost in woods and ended up sandwiched between the opposing sides.

“September 14. I was lost in the woods and fired on three times so I went to sleep in a barn for the night.

“I found myself between both sides so I had to wait until it was dark again to creep out. I went forward whistling all the ragtime songs I could think of so [the Allies] would know I was English.”

Mrs MacKenzie’s grandfather was wounded early into his service, after just six or seven weeks.

Harold was torn between elation that his friend would be sent home to safety and despair at his pain.

“September 28: This day I don’t know whether I cried or laughed. Both, I think.

“My friend was wounded. They were shooting him through the wrist. I could not describe my feelings.

“He couldn’t eat or drink. I gave him bread and cigarettes to see him to hospital. We both filled up when we said goodbye. I never expected to set eyes on him again. I was delighted his life would be safe.”

Edwin was sent back to the UK to hospital in Sheffield where it was discovered his arm was broken. He was declared unfit to serve.

The diary ends on December 28, 1914, just four months after it started. Harold was also injured and sent back to the UK, although he would later return to France.

“December 28: This ends my experiences in the war so far, or most of my experiences and my chum’s as well.

“I don’t shake on going again as it would be impossible to have it any worse. The fighting in Ypres was absolutely beyond description. Men wounded earlier [than Ypres] are the luckiest men in the world.”

Mrs Mackenzie said they believed he was killed shortly after being sent back to war: “I think we ended up with the diary because Harold was killed.

“It’s lovely to have something like that in the family. My mum typed the entries up and they are so much easier to read than the original copperplate writing!

“I’d like to get it on a computer file.”

The grandmother of three and her husband are among 10,000 people taking part in a procession past the Cenotaph in London today after entering an online ballot.

“We have family in London so it will be lovely to meet up with them again,” she added. “My grandparents were both from London and proud of that. We’ve ordered a wreath to lay and we will pay tribute to everyone who fought. It will be emotional.”

She said she asked to give the children’s address in her local church last Sunday and spoke about how “we have a lot to be thankful for today, thanks to those who fought in the wars”.

“Our family has a great sense of duty to others and that’s come from my grandfather,” she added.