T H E C O V E N A N T E R
and only wretched shelters of corrugated February 15th, 1917
iron, under which those not on the parapet I have just had two boys of the Scottish
sit freezing with cold. No blankets allowed
Rifles dining with me - one a lively little
- for the Division beat me about them (and
Scotsman, of about twenty years, and the
I ought incidentally to have been under
other more dour and a little older, both
arrest as well for gross disobedience of
bubbling over with their experiences and
orders). But I haven’t done with them yet.
stories of yesterday, and both happy in
Anyway, I have got time by the forelock,
having murdered Huns. The lively youth
and am fairly well on the way with
despatched three all of a heap with his rifle
first, and then with heavy bombs. So he’s
comfortable and warm shelters for men.
all right, and knows who’s top dog when
Poor chaps, they are so cold they can’t sleep
next he goes over. ‘I was so pleased,’ he
at night, and as they have to slop about in
said, ‘that after that I didn’t mind a wee
the mud trying to work by day, their rest is
bit if I had deed!’”
nil. How they stick it I don’t know - got to,
I suppose. And it makes me most mutinous March 4th, 1917
and insubordinate to have to deny blankets In between their work I make battalions
to them, because certain fatuous idiots
play ‘physical games,’ invented by some
going to bed in a bed, with probably half a
one blessed with real common sense.
dozen blankets on them and a snug room
Instead of the dreary physical drill, these
outside all that, ordain that Jock in the
games are games of all sorts and kinds, most
trenches will go too fast asleep if he has
of them really amusing, and it does one’s
one blanket, so mustn’t have it! It’s not
heart good riding about the area to hear
only beastly cruel, but most dangerous,
the roars of cheery laughter bursting out
from whenever parties are at the games. In
for a man must sleep or doze some time,
one of them to-day I made one of my Staff
and if he can’t get it properly, he will sleep
the victim. Two rows of men stand facing
or doze, or be perfectly inalert when on
each other, with hands clasped; the victim
sentry-go; and then he either has a court
then has to jump face downwards on to the
martial for other people’s wise orders, or arms at one end, when he is shied into the
he lets the enemy in and gets scuppered air and sort of jerked forward at the same
along with a number of other half-frozen time; caught a foot or so further on as he
creatures.
falls (flat on his tummy) he is jerked up
As I told you, I strafed our Divisional
again, and so goes on till he arrives at the
Commander, and sent him away to see the
other end. Some big fellows ‘at the other
Corps Commander again, but both were
end’ kept him tossing up in the air three or
decided against the blanket, and when
four times, before they let him out.
he came to tell me the result yesterday
April 9th, 1917
morning, I could have eaten him - and he
5.35 a.m. - The battle of Arras has just
jolly well could see it too. Anyway, I told
begun, and my lads are over the parapet.
him I wasn’t going to leave it at that, and
Such a magnificent and wonderful sight,
that if he and the Corps General cared
the opening of this fearful barrage of ours;
to give orders which, in my considered
it is roaring overhead now like drums, and
opinion, directly led to dangerous risk, covering our men as they advance slowly
I should protect myself by making the behind it. It was an anxious five minutes
strongest protest I could on paper, and
before 5.30, for the Bosch seemed windy
sending it to him officially, so that he
and inclined to throw up S.O.S. rockets -
could enjoy all the responsibility, which
did, indeed, but his guns evidently thought
I absolutely declined to accept, of any
there was nothing in it. To have the
mishap. I expect I shall get fired out of this
enemy’s barrage coming down on us, with
job before long. I find that I see differently
trenches packed full of men waiting to go
to too many people on too many things to
over, is the most dreadful thing. So I kept
my eye very anxiously on my watch, and
be able to conform to the ordinary military
was relieved indeed when, true to time,
ethics of sitting down and obeying them,
came our thunder, when I came down here
as most certainly I should if I were a proper
to this horrid hole to be on the telephone.
soldier man. But then I’m not, and never
And here I must wait patiently till the ‘first
shall be now, for at my age it’s too late to
objective’ is taken at 6.10, when orders
change my skin. have to be issued and things done. If all
So far I have always managed to disobey goes well, I hope to move forward in a
rotten orders, or been able to square their
couple of hours or so. At the moment I am
non-compliance; but I can’t always expect
about 800 yards behind our front line.
such luck, especially as one gets up the ladder.
22
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