“It is pouring down and has been practically all day.
Indeed, we have had a lot of rain these last few days and now the camp is a
sight for the gods. Mud, mud everywhere – nearly knee-deep in some places.
Pools all over the place! It is a mess! Everything is wet and crowded.
We are going to Aldershot on Tuesday – half the battalion in
barracks, the rest billeted out – and then, after a week or so, the two halves
will change quarters*. I think there is no doubt about it this time and I
certainly hope not. These last two or three weeks have knocked a lot of
enthusiasm out of the men. Still we keep fairly cheerful on the whole and have
our jokes and songs. It takes a great deal to dampen youthful spirits. It is
very cold at night, we light a great number of candles and make the tents look
a bit more cheerful”.
He also described the services provided at the YMCA tents as
“magnificent work” – selling buns, coffee and the like and often staffed by
wealthy ladies from the district.
*Priestley’s reference
to half the Battalion being in barracks and the other half in billets would not
be the case immediately but would indeed be introduced in mid-December when the
Battalion began more intensive Company training.
No comments:
Post a Comment