(30)
June 2, ’15. 6.15 P.M.
Here we are again in billets and at the same farm-house as we were at
before. This is very convenient, as we know our way about the place—the
same squalling kids, etc.!...
Another heavenly day of sunshine—the country here looks more ripping
than ever—and it is a glorious slack here after our ten days in the
trenches....
It seems queer to be back here again—in the comparative quiet of the
country. We came here by a night-march last night—arriving 2 A.M. this
morning. I slept in my barn again—topping to get out of one’s clothes for
a change—I shall have a bath tomorrow!
(33)
June 5, ’15. Saturday, 5 P.M.
We go up to the trenches again tomorrow (Sunday) stopping for the
afternoon on the way at the good old château—much like the one Uncle
Innes is billeted at I fancy.
Well, the inspection went off alright today—It was the General commanding
the 2nd Army Corps (which we are in) who inspected us—and he came up
to me and shook me by the hand and congratulated me on having the best
platoon in the Company—Thereupon a man in the front rank fell almost into
his arms—fainting—and had to be assisted off. The General, however, was
a sportsman and took no heed of the occurrence—I was furious, but it was
distinctly funny otherwise. As for the hand-shake—I certainly shan’t wash
my right fist till I come out from the trenches again after that!
Before leaving the old man (extraordinarily young for his post really)
said a few kind words to the officers and left us all feeling we could
take on old man Kluck himself!
(35)
June 8, ’15.
... Funny kind of day today—as quiet as the grave—hardly a shot
fired this afternoon—our friend Fritz is never so crafty as when he
is quiet—always up to some dirty game or other—so we expect some
jollification soon!
There was a thunderstorm this afternoon which cleared the air a bit—it
has been devilish hot—‘where the ’eat would make your bloomin’ eyebrows
crawl’ our friend has it! The flies are awful now—suddenly come on—send
me some of that ‘Anti-Midge’ stuff which _Hardy’s_ sell—My face is like
St. Andrew’s golf course now—and _lots_ of bunkers at that!...
... Had a royal lunch today—potted meat and bread and butter—coffee (j:
good) and cream—and tinned peaches and cream! I wish we had some more of
the latter—just the thing in this crawling heat. We had my ‘Barrack Room
Ballads’ out this afternoon and Monypenny pored over them awhile.
My servant Crump is an extraordinary fellow—I am told he was educated at
Charterhouse and enlisted at the beginning of the war!
(36)
June 9, ’15. 10 P.M.
MY DEAREST MUMMY AND DADDY,—No post last night so I daresay I shall get
something tonight.
Another quiet day today—rained a bit this evening. Crump got me some
fresh eggs and milk from a neighbouring farm behind the Canal—priceless
servant, what? The _flies_ are awful during the day here now—‘Muscatol’
quickly please! Tomorrow night we go into the front line trenches which
are barely 70 yards from our friends—There are _no_ trenches to speak of
and we are fired on from every quarter of the globe—but _that_ is why
they are sending the _Essex_ there—remember! Tonight we are working away
at the trench just in front of us—the men are working splendidly—and the
whole place is swimming with _mud_ and water already!
... Monypenny and I and de la Mare lay and basked all day in our shirts
drinking hot tea and cursing at the flies. This evening I had my Section
Commanders up (remember—4 Sections—about 10 men—to a Platoon) and
told them a few things. It is by cursing the N.C.O’s that one gets
any efficiency out of the men—It is just like H. de H.’s at Eton over
again—House didn’t swing together if the younger members of ‘Debate’
didn’t control their juniors—who _were friends of theirs_.—So the young
N.C.O. finds it hard to drop on the men from whom he has just been raised
in rank—and ‘the backbone of the Army is the non-commissioned man.’ R. K.
Thanks to my worthy Sergeant Clarke—in charge of Platoon—my men are
learning discipline and how to keep their heads—by _degrees_—but
it is very hard work, as they are really all _very young_ and
inexperienced—straight from the home, so to speak—I am not _quite_ sure
how they would do if it was a case of ‘no one cares to face ’em but
every beggar must’—(R. K.)—however, as I told my Corporals tonight, we
shall see their worth sooner or later. Peake was wounded last night—only
slightly in the arm—will be back soon, in fact. I have got some glorious
G: shells here—but don’t know how I could ever get them on to the
mantelshelf in the Study!! Some more of that _café au lait_, please, and
condensed milk and _Menier_ Chocolate—keep you busy!
Well—I must go out again and have a look round—we shall have a great
time in this trench out in front—it is in a _swamp_ and there are fifty
Canadians in the Parapet!
Toodle-oo!
Much love to you both and everyone else at No. 7.