The Division was inspected by Lieutenant General Sir William
Pulteney, commanding III Corps. Lt. Dick Bolton (see 6th September) later recalled that Pulteney,
“welcomed us to his Corps in a little speech warning us that we were in for a
hard time and that even if the Germans did not finish us off, we might very
well be shot for falling asleep on duty”.
Pulteney’s visit was enlivened by the spectacle of a French peasant
passing in front of the assembled troops, driving before him a great boar; the
word soon went round that ‘the German swine’ would soon likewise be driven back.
Pte. Richard Butler,
who had already had several brushes with military discipline (see 30th July) again found
himself in trouble. Having been reported for ‘smoking in the ranks’, he was to
be confined to barracks for five days on the orders of Major Hildyard.
J.B. Priestley completed and sent off a letter which he had
begun a few days earlier (see 6th September) and was able to
describe his living conditions in a little more detail, which revealed the
reality of life for men in the Battalion:
“We have moved since I last wrote to you, and we have been
living in a deserted, partly-ruined farmhouse – all huddled together on the
stone floor … It has been all mud and rain lately here. You have doubtless
heard a lot about YMCAs, canteens and concern for the troops but I have seen
nothing of them yet. I have never had my trousers off since I left England, but
there are no signs of vermin yet, which is surprising, considering the places I
have slept in. The fellows across the way are in pigsties. If anyone wants to
send me anything, the following would be very welcome: tobacco, chocolate of
any kind, a tin of vermin-killer, a writing-pad suitable for the pocket, a
stick of shaving powder, a good razor. I don’t want you to send all these
things and I don’t want people to send clothing of any kind for the present”.
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