ENTER BEST-DUNKLEY
The following letter, written on June 12, at Millain, recounts my first
impressions of the colonel whose name figures on the title-page of this
book:
"We are now in rest billets a long way behind the line. I write to
narrate to you the journey.
"On Sunday (June 10) I went to bed about 10 p.m., and had only been in
bed half an hour when a very intense battle appeared to have broken out
on our right. A violent artillery duel was in progress, with the usual
accompaniments. The thunder of the guns continued for quite a long time.
I think there must have been something big on: either a further advance
of Plumer's Army or a counter-attack by the Crown Prince Rupprecht. It
was a big row.
"Apropos of Sir Herbert Plumer, the victor of Messines: we were in his
Second Army until that battle; now we have been transferred to Sir
Hubert Gough's Fifth Army. I was amused when I heard Priestley telling
his servant that we had moved into General Gough's Army; the servant
replied 'Oh, he's a fighting man, isn't he, sir? We're in for something
big now!' (General Gough had the reputation of being 'a fire eater.')
"Reveille went at 5.30 yesterday morning. We had breakfast in bed at 6.
It was arranged by Major Brighten that the Battalion should leave the
city by platoons, each platoon moving off at five minutes interval from
the ones in front and behind of it. I moved off with the seventh platoon
at 8.10. We marched through the city as happily as if we were a Sunday
School trip, looking at the magnificent ruins as we passed. Scarcely a
gun was fired on either side the whole time. Things were extraordinarily
quiet. On any ordinary occasion we would have been observed by the enemy
aircraft and strafed like ----; but fortunately it was very dull at the
time, the clouds precluding observation. The weather was in our favour.
The whole Battalion got safely away without a single casualty! An
astonishing feat. Major Brighten has reason to feel very pleased with
himself. We marched along the road for a distance of about four miles,
and then halted and concentrated; then we marched on together and at 10
a.m. reached the transport camp where I first appeared last Tuesday
evening. Here the Battalion was halted and left to have lunch. The
officers were allowed to go into the town (Poperinghe) and have lunch
there if they wished. Donald Allen, the commander of the fifth platoon,
and I, got lifts on two motors down to the town. Then we had baths at
the Divisional Baths there. We then set off to the Officers' Club for
lunch; but just before we got there two other officers called out to us
from the opposite side of the road. They inquired whether we were going
to the Club; and when we replied that we were, they exclaimed: 'Don't;
the C.O.'s there!'
"'Who? _The_ C.O.--Colonel Best-Dunkley?' we asked.
"'Yes,' was the reply. So we jolly well did not go; we went to a
restaurant instead! Apparently Colonel Best-Dunkley had now returned.
Everybody was very fed up at his return.
"At 2 we turned up at the station. The news of the Commanding Officer's
return had already spread throughout the Battalion. We got our platoons
entrained, and then proceeded to the officers' carriages. It was
rumoured that Colonel Best-Dunkley was going to travel by a particular
carriage. You should have seen how that carriage was boycotted! Nobody
would go into it. They preferred to crowd out the other carriages and
leave the tainted carriage empty. It was most noticeable. I do not think
there is a single person in the Battalion who would not rather travel
with the devil incarnate than with Colonel Best-Dunkley.
"He appeared on the scene shortly. There was a flutter of low mutterings
as he appeared. I was very interested to see this extraordinary man of
whom I had heard so much. He stopped two or three doors away from our
own and stood talking to someone inside the carriage. He is small,
clean-shaven, with a crooked nose and a noticeable blink. He looks
harmless enough; but I noticed something about his eyes which did not
look exactly pleasant. He looks more than twenty-seven. When war broke
out he was a lieutenant. It is interesting to note that he was educated
at a military school in Germany! (And he had travelled a good deal in
the Far East. 'When I was in China' was one of his favourite topics of
conversation.) I have not yet spoken to the man, so I am not yet in a
position to judge him myself. I will tell you my own opinion of him when
I have had a little experience of him. I may just remark that an officer
observed in the mess this morning that he supposed that there were some
people who liked the Kaiser, but he was sure that there was not a single
soul who liked Best-Dunkley! That is rather strong.
"Well our train moved off at about 3 p.m. We travelled through pleasant
country to a little town which I cannot, of course, name. (Esquelbeck.)
Here we had tea. I may mention that this place was just over the
frontier--that is to say 'Somewhere in France.'
"Refreshed by our tea (for the preparation of which Padre Newman was
mainly responsible), we began our long march at 7.15 in the evening. We
marched to a village ten miles away (to Millain via Zeggers,
Erkelsbrugge, Bollezeele, and Merekeghem). Colonel Best-Dunkley had gone
on by himself; he left Major Brighten to carry on for the remainder of
the journey. We had the band with us. I enjoyed the march immensely. It
was a beautiful evening and the pretty villages through which we marched
looked at their best. One thing which I have particularly noticed in
France and Belgium is this: that a village, however small, seems to
possess a large and magnificent church. I have not seen a single village
in Belgium or France where the church is not the most prominent object.
And I think that the villages are much healthier and prettier, and in
every way much more inviting, than the towns. It is in such a village
with such a church in pretty rural surroundings that I am now stationed.
Darkness fell while we were on the march. We got here about 10.30,
feeling considerably tired and ready for bed. Talbot Dickinson had been
here a day or two and had arranged about billets. So the men were
immediately shown into their billets. I am billeted in a farm-house; I
have a nice little bedroom all to myself, and sleep in a civilian bed.
So I am very well off. What do you say? I have nothing to grumble about
as regards my quarters. B Company is billeted in the two barns belonging
to this farm: two platoons in each barn. The Company parade in a
delightful field the other side of the barns. There are three officers'
messes: Headquarters and two of two combined companies. B and A
Companies mess together in a house about two minutes' walk from this
farm. Battalion Orderly Room is in a house about five minutes' walk from
here. The other companies are in other parts of the village. General
Stockwell and the remainder of the Brigade have not yet arrived, but
they will be following on shortly. I am very happy here. The weather has
been delightful, and the country looks fine. The trees here are very
tall indeed. There was a heavy downpour of rain at tea-time: the first
real rain we have had while I have been in France this time.
"We have spent the day 'under company arrangements': a series of
inspections in the field outside the barn.
"At 5.30 Colonel Best-Dunkley wished to see all officers and
sergeant-majors at Headquarters Mess. When we got there we adjourned to
Battalion Orderly Room. He kept us until after 7, discussing various
matters of routine. He seemed to have set his mind on purchasing a new
band which was to cost L100 and for which officers should pay their
share according to rank--subalterns to pay L2 each. But there was not a
single person in favour of the idea! The proposal was received in cold
silence. (Everybody had agreed before the conference upon the attitude
to be taken up! I thought the whole affair a huge joke. Plots and
intrigues always appeal to me as exciting.) Then Captain Mordecai--O.C.
C Company--said that he did not think it worth it 'Since the war is
nearly over.' The Colonel did not like that idea at all! He appealed to
Major Brighten for his opinion; and Major Brighten urged that if we are
to spend money like this it would be better spent in helping the men in
some way. Others pointed out that one band was sufficient, and said that
they would rather pay 10s. each for the improvement of the present band.
Colonel Best-Dunkley blinked and twitched his nose in a disapproving
manner. Eventually it was decided that we should not get a new band, but
that we should all pay 10s. towards the present band. Colonel
Best-Dunkley had set his mind on this band enterprise; I do not suppose
he is at all pleased that it has not been taken up! The officers are all
congratulating themselves on their victory. Colonel Best-Dunkley has
announced that we must all see that the men have their equipment
blancoed and polished until it sparkles. I have no personal quarrel with
Colonel Best-Dunkley myself yet--in fact I have not yet exchanged a word
with him--but I cannot say that I am very favourably impressed."