stead of stacking hay and straw as we do they seem to put
it in barns. The men sleep in the barns; they snuggle down into the
straw and enjoy themselves thoroughly. They are just like kittens and
quite as happy, playing round and hiding themselves in the straw. We
set out for our billets, and were halted when we came to our farms. I
was in the rear when word was passed down that I was needed in front,
and I went up and found a small farm on the left and a big one on the
right. I was told my platoon would be in the little one and the rest
of the company in the big one, so I was sent in to tackle the owner,
who did not know a word of English, and to settle my men. I did my
best, my French is just good enough to make myself understood at a
pinch, and I am getting on. The farmer showed me round and I put the
men into two barns. Then I asked him "Avez-vous de l'eau a boire?" and
he replied "Mais oui." Then he showed me a pump. We then drew some
water to make tea in the company's travelling cooker. The
Quartermaster-Sergeant asked me to come and listen to it. About ten
yards off my nose told me where it was; it was filthy, so we had to
try elsewhere.

The first night I slept very comfortably in an attic in the chateau
with Battalion Headquarters. Monsieur and his son and the old cook,
whose husband is a prisoner in Germany, still live in part of the
house, the other empty rooms we have, the Colonel having a toppingly
furnished room. Then we picniced quite happily the first night,
breakfasting off coffee and bully beef at about 10-0 the next morning.
The next day we spent in settling in and organising things. We are
about 24 miles from the firing line and sometimes hear the big guns
and see plenty of aeroplanes. Two Taubes flew over yesterday, were
shelled in the air, and chased away by our aeroplanes.

It was arranged that we would collect most of our company together,
and officers sleep together, so I came down to this farm. We have
three-quarters of the Company here, my platoon in the farm I told you
about, and the others in the big farm. The officers, the Company
Commander and three subalterns have a room in the house, with big
windows opening out into the yard of the big farm. The room is on the
second storey. We have a large bed with a feather mattress, two of us
have the mattress on the floor, and very comfortable it is. We
censored our men's letters and so to bed.

In the afternoon we went to the village and purchas