and had his teeth knocked out as he lay on the ground by a
passing German, who used the butt of his rifle. Round me were a dozen
men, who gave me advice and explained in whispers the finesse of the
game. It was hot work, for the men sat close and we all smoked.

I also learned that the British soldier, when he gives his mind to
it, plays a masterly game of draughts. There was a man--in civil life
he sailed a Thames barge--who insulted me deeply over draughts. He
used to allow me to win one game in three, and he managed so well
that it was weeks before I found out what he was doing.

We had whist drives, and once a billiard tournament, run on what I
believe is a novel principle. We had only one table, half sized and
very dilapidated. We had about thirty entries. We gave each player
five minutes and let him score as much as he could in the time, no
opponent interfering with him. The highest score took the prize.

But all entertainments and games in that camp were liable to untimely
interruption. Messages used to come through from some remote
authority demanding stretcher-bearers. Then, though it were in the
midst of a game of whist, every man present had to get up and go
away.

There was one occasion on which such a summons arrived just as the
men had assembled to welcome a concert party. The dining-room was
empty in five minutes. We who remained were faced with the prospect
of a concert without an audience. But our sergeant-major met the
emergency. He hurried to a neighbouring camp and somehow managed to
borrow two hundred men. The concert party was greatly pleased, but
said that the Emergency Stretcher-bearers did not look as old and
dilapidated as they had been led to expect.

There came a time when the camp changed and many old friends
disappeared. At the beginning of the Somme battle there was a sudden
demand for stretcher-bearers to serve at the advanced
dressing-stations. Almost every day we were bidden to send men.
Little parties assembled on the parade ground and marched off to
entrain for the front. I used to see them lined up on the parade
ground, war-battered men, who looked old though they were young, with
their kits spread out for inspection. The least unfit went first; but
indeed there was little choice among them. Not a man of them but had
been wounded grievously or mourned a constitution broken by hardship.
Yet they went cheerfully, patient in their dumb devotion to duty,
hopeful that the final vic