g. It seems so much
nearer, and more murderous somehow in this Field Ambulance atmosphere
even than it did on the train with all the successive hundreds.

We can see Notre Dame de Lorette from here; the Chapel and Fort stand
high up in that flat maze of slag-heaps, mine-heads, and sugar-factories
just behind the line on the right.

9 P.M., _O.D.S._--Everything very quiet here.

A gunner just admitted says there will probably be another big
bombardment to-morrow morning, and after that another attack, and after
that I suppose some more for us.

Another says that the charge of the Black Watch on Sunday was a
marvellous thing. They went into it playing the pipes! The Major who led
it handed somebody his stick, as he "probably shouldn't want it again."

It is very wet to-night, but they go up to the trenches singing Ragtime,
some song about "We are always--respected--wherever we go." And another
about "Sing a song--a song with me. Come along--along with me."

11 P.M.--Just heard a shell burst, first the whistling scream, and then
the bang--wonder where? There was another about an hour ago, but I
didn't hear the whistle of that--only the bang. I shouldn't have known
what the whistle was if I hadn't heard it at Braisne. It goes in a
curve. All the men on the top floor have been sent down to sleep in the
cellar; another shell has busted.

12.15.--Just had another, right overhead; all the patients are asleep,
luckily.

1.30 P.M.--There was one more, near enough to make you jump, and a few
more too far off to hear the whistling. A sleepy major has just waked up
and said, "Did you hear the shells? Blackguards, aren't they?"

The sky on the battle line to-night is the weirdest sight; our guns are
very busy, and they are making yellow flashes like huge sheets of summer
lightning. Then the star-shells rise, burst, and light up a large area,
while a big searchlight plays slowly on the clouds. It is all very
beautiful when you don't think what it means.

Two more--the last very loud and close. It is somehow much more alarming
than Braisne, perhaps because it is among buildings, and because one
knows so much more what they mean.

Another--the other side of the building.

An ambulance has been called out, so some one must have been hit; I've
lost count of how many they've dropped, but they could hardly fail to do
some damage.

5 A.M.--Daylight--soaking wet, and no more shells since 2 A.M. We have
admitted seven officers