harge in the drain-pipe. The latter charge of powder is
then driven out of the jam tin. If correctly judged, it hurtles
through the air and falls into the German trenches, and blows people
there to pieces. How close the fire is here is shown by one of my
companies having had two periscopes hit. Periscopes are four inches
wide or less, and probably only 5 inches shows above the parapet, so
you can see the German marksman at 100 yds. anyhow is not to be
despised. This morning I was up before four o'clock, and round my men.
On my way back a German put a bullet between the Corporal and myself.
Of course lots of others were flying about, but this was the nearest.
We go into support to-night; and the house we are going to occupy had
a shell through the front door two days ago. It was fired at from the
side at some great distance, came through the door, and fell on its
back without exploding just short of a cupboard. This must have come
from a strange battery, as the ordinary shells go round it all and
every day, bursting galore, so I suppose this was one up the line
fired at a sharp angle to try and take us in flank, as it were. I am
rather sleepy, as there was a fire fight at 12 p.m. last night, for
which I was awake. I received a letter from Miss Ruby McCann of
Belfast yesterday, sending tobacco and her love to the men. The
latter, she stated, was only to the "good-looking ones." I also had a
letter from your Mother. She told me that you had not gone to the
concert owing to A---- H----'s death that very day. Still, of course,
you took tickets for it. I also received a note from the Saddlers' Co.
saying that they were sending four cans of milk and coffee to me to
start with, and more would follow when they heard how the men liked
it. The cans have four dozen tins in each. Very kind indeed of them.
Well, I think that is all my news, excepting that I have got a
headache, and have had one for the last two days, which is not
surprising, since I have been up and about at such unearthly hours,
and have not had any chance of sleeping properly in between whiles. I
am always on the telephone to one person or the other....

IN BILLETS.
_February 7th, 1915._

I hear that Col. Napier has got a Brigade, and I must write to
congratulate him. You are kind in offering to send us more cakes and
mincepies. What we really miss according to our usual