heard that this happened in one case, officially. A
long letter from my sister Meta arrived by the last post yesterday;
still moving into Oakfield after building up the old house again since
the fire. I went for a ride yesterday with Major B., looking up some
roads in case of a move. The Germans tried to pour shrapnel on the
road on the way back, but fortunately missed us by going short. There
was a large party of another division on it, and I suppose they had
got wind of this. A curious thing to notice is as follows: When a
shell starts out on its journey it travels more quickly than the
sound. Sound moves at the rate of about a mile in 5 seconds. After a
little while the shell begins to go more slowly, and then the sound
overtakes it and travels ahead. We were just where we could see the
shell burst with a flash and a white puff of smoke, and could still
hear the whirr of the shell rushing towards us until it ended with a
loud bang, though we had in reality seen it burst a second or so
before. We went to a rather fine church destroyed by fire. I asked
what had happened, and was told that the Germans had been there, and
when they were forced to retreat they put a certain number of their
dead inside the church with a lot of straw, then some of the
villagers, and finally made one of the women set fire to the straw by
holding a revolver to her head and threatening to shoot her. The man
said that the village priest had told him this shocking story. I asked
how the Germans had behaved otherwise, and he said, "Very well in one
sense." They had been billeted on the people, who were obliged to feed
them; but, of course, it is war. When, however, they had to retire,
they refused to pay for anything, and tried, as the inhabitants
explained, to incite them with a view of getting an excuse to burn
their houses and then shoot them. As the village people kept their
heads, they threw down half a mark and left. I thought, on the whole,
they were well rid of their visitors! You asked if I required any more
soap or paper. At present, nothing, thanks; Major B---- has just given
me a new writing block. A cake and mincepies are, however, always most
welcome. How greedy one does become after a time! Such a horrid
blustery day, and heavy rain coming down this morning. We had Holy
Communion at 8 a.m. in a ruined nunnery with our Cowley Father
officiating. Only 3 turned up from the whole Battalion. Our General
has had to go away this morning in