some sleep on the floor in a large elephant
dug-out, but found it utterly impossible: the sound of the guns all
round was too terrific. This bombardment is as yet only in its early
stages. I was only a few hundred yards away from where I was last night
on that night previous to the night of the Battle of Messines when the
preliminary bombardment for that battle was at its height; yet I may say
that the present one sounded last night just like that one sounded then.
So what will it become as the days roll on?

"We had breakfast at 4 this morning and marched off from this camp at
6.40. We marched about nine miles to a village which was really only
about six miles away! I can tell you I was, and we all were, very tired
indeed when we got here. It was about midday when we arrived. We are
still well in sound of the guns, but just nicely out of range of them.
Nevertheless, air scraps have been going on overhead most of the day. We
are under canvas--the whole battalion in a large field enclosed by
hedges. The weather is splendid; fine camping weather. We had lunch
about 2 p.m. Then I played a game something like tennis (badminton). The
Colonel is very keen on it. When he saw that I was going to play he
said, 'Oh, I'll back the "General,"' meaning me! Then he showed me how
to play. He has been most agreeable with me all day. Major Brighten has
started calling me 'The Field-Marshal!' I think I cause these gentlemen
considerable amusement!

"Sir Douglas Haig is in this village to-day; but as I have not been out
of camp since I got here I have not seen anything of him."

FOOTNOTE:

[8] Churchill, _London Magazine_, Dec., 1916.

CHAPTER XIV

WATOU

The time we spent at Valley Camp, Watou, is duly chronicled in my diary.

"July 21st.

"We got here at 12. Lunch at 2.... My servant Johnson reported sick with
gas and departed for hospital; so I asked Sergeant Baldwin to suggest
another. He took me to M'Connon. I endorsed the selection. Allen's
servant, Parkinson, has also gone to hospital with gas to-day! To bed 10
p.m."

"July 22nd (Sunday).

"Breakfast in bed. Up 9.30. The Colonel had a conference of all officers
re training and man-power. Then there was a Church parade in the field
at 12.15 p.m. The main points of the padre's sermon were Repentance,
Hope, Intention. In the afternoon Dickinson and I went over my platoon
roll with the Sergeant-Major (Preston) to see how we stand. He also did
the same with t