rnoon I saw a soldier's funeral, which I have never seen
before. He was shot in the head yesterday, and makes the four hundred
and eleventh British soldier buried in this cemetery. I happened to be
there looking at the graves, and the French gravedigger told me there
was to be another buried this afternoon. The gravedigger's wife and
children are with the Allemands, he told me, the other side of La
Bassee, and he has no news of them or they of him.

It was very impressive and moving, the Union Jack on the coffin (a thin
wooden box) on the waggon, and a firing party, and about a hundred men
and three officers and the Padre. It was a clear blue sky and sunny
afternoon, and the Padre read beautifully and the men listened intently.
The graves are dug trenchwise, very close together, practically all in
one continuous grave, each with a marked cross. There is a long row of
officers, and also seven Germans and five Indians.

The two Zeppelins reported last night must have gone to bed after
putting out all our lights, as nothing happened anywhere.

The birds and buds in the garden opposite make one long for one's lost
leave, but I suppose they will keep.

We have only nine officers in to-day; everything is very quiet
everywhere, but troop trains are very busy.

10.30 P.M.--It is getting noisy again. Some batteries on our right next
the French lines are doing some thundering, and there are more
star-shells than usual lighting up the sky on the left. They look like
fireworks. They are sent up _in_ the firing line to see if any groups of
enemy are crawling up to our trenches in the dark. When they stop
sending theirs up we have to get busy with ours to see what they're up
to. It's funny to see that every night from your bedroom windows. They
give a tremendous light as soon as they burst.

When I went into the big church for benediction this evening at 6.30,
every estaminet and cafe and tea-shop was packed with soldiers, and also
as usual every street and square. At seven o'clock they were all
emptying, as there is an order to-day to close all cafes, &c, at seven
instead of eight.

All lights are out again to-night.

Another aeroplane was being shelled here this evening.

_Sunday, April 18th_, 9.30 P.M.--It has been another dazzling day. A
major of one of the Indian regiments came in this evening. He said the
Boches are throwing stones across to our men wrapped in paper with
messages like this written on them, "Why don'