I think my budget must be growing fast. Yesterday I spent in
organising my battery. I got some green and white paint from the
A.S.C. and painted all my guns, so that they look beautiful now. Most
of my time nowadays I spend in trying to get money for myself and for
my men, rifle oil, baths, boots mended, equipment for guns, and all
sorts of things. This morning I took the whole battery in battery
drill. Most of it's composed by myself, as there isn't a drill book
for trench mortar batteries. It is very interesting, as I have to
think out all my own tactics, and organisation. On every other,
infantry or cavalry or artillery, there are thousands of War Office
books, so that one needs to think very little for oneself.
We are just having dinner, Fiddian, Carroll, who is my second in
command, and myself--quite a nice dinner--while our servants make
merry in the kitchen. The house where I am billeted is owned by a
topping old man. Whenever I pass through their kitchen they all get up
and monsieur says: "Bon jour Monsieur L'Officier." He is a time-served
French soldier, and works in a big wood just near here. We had a
Taube--A German aeroplane--over here this morning. It dropped one
bomb, which did not go off, a few hundred yards from here. I did not
hear about it till afterwards. The battalion has just returned to-day
from the trenches for a week or so before we return to them to take
over part of the line. Where we are going is, I believe, a fairly nice
peaceful spot. I shall try and stir them up if I have half a chance.
What happens in trenches is: that if the Germans get nasty and shell
us, or send a few bombs from trench mortars, we try to make ourselves
nastier still and send over twice as many. Then the Germans get
nastier still, till both sides have got thoroughly bad tempered at
having their parapets spoiled and trenches messed about. Then it
gradually wears out. And as the Germans are using bad ammunition at
present they go to bed or wander off to get a drink, and we soon do
the same. I have just seen Brown. He says he was going up to the
trenches in rather a nervous state of mind when the Officer Commanding
the trenches into which we were going for instruction met him, told
him his sergeant-major, would look after our men and took him to have
a wash and then to have dinner in mess. They had soup, meat, sweet and
savoury, all to the strains of a gramophone. Not bad for the
much-abused trenches. The battalion was in about a week and lost
nobody. This morning we were to be inspected by our Divisional
General. But he spent so much time talking to the battalion that he
was unable to see us. He says he is going to save every life he can in
his division. He is going to improve any trenches we go into, to make
them absolutely safe, and so on. He is a fine man. He was in command
of a brigade at the beginning of the war, and saved his own brigade by
his calmness and bravery.
Tell May there is nothing I like so much as long letters, otherwise I
should not write such appalling long screeds about nothing at all.
I am going out to-night to mess with "D" Company of one of the Scots
Battalion. Now I am attached to Brigade Headquarters I see quite a lot
of Captain Creig, who is on it you know. He sometimes gives me news of
Uncle Fred.
I have just received a letter from May and one from Father. They have
been delayed, as I am away from the battalion. Remember that you can
say anything you like in your letters, as they are not censored at
all. I very rarely see a paper, so any news is valuable, especially
about such things as the last Zeppelin raid, &c. Please send me also
my slacks and shoes, and the Sam Brown belt as soon as possible. I
will enclose a cheque for all I owe you in this letter; I hope it will
cover it all. One of the Scots, Kitton, a friend of mine, came in to
dinner last night with us, Carroll and myself, or rather it was Bill
Fiddian and myself. Carroll was out.
Yesterday we spent in the usual way. I went to dinner in the evening
with "D" Company of the Scots, and had a very pleasant time.
Unfortunately, after dinner, I went to see Major Warden, of the Scots,
and, instead of going into his room, I stalked into Madame's bedroom,
and fled precipitately. This morning I took the men down, and we had a
bath in some temporary baths the R.E.'s have rigged up. I received a
very nice parcel from you to-day (Thursday) containing a cake,
powdered milk, tea, &c. It was very welcome. It had been delayed with
the battalion. I went along to the battalion and saw several of the
officers to-night. I was very glad to see them. Good-night, little
Mother, I am going to bed. Whenever it is raining you can be quite
certain that we are being inspected by some big General. It has been
pouring all this morning because we were being inspected by Lord
Kitchener. We have just returned and had lunch and changed, and I am
now spending a quiet afternoon, hoping that some of the battalion will
come in to tea with us.
The Colonel is in command of the Brigade, as our new Brigadier is away
on leave. Our Brigadier, General Fitton, was, as you may have seen in
the casualty lists, the first casualty in the Division. He was killed
by a stray bullet during a visit to the trenches. We are all extremely
sorry to lose him; he was such a priceless old man, although he made
us work. It was extremely bad luck for him.
I will finish this letter now, as I am just sending off a batch of my
men's letters, which I have just finished censoring.