r to the men around him that he could not escape.
I had kept his sworn testimony in my pocket and it was to obtain this
that the Deputy-Judge-Advocate-General had called upon me. I gave it
to him and told him that in spite of the oath, I thought the man was
not telling the truth. Weeks afterwards I got a letter from the
Deputy-Judge telling me he had found the man, who, when confronted (p. 077)
by a staff officer, weakened, and said he was mistaken in swearing
that he had seen the crucifixion he had only been told about it by
someone else. We have no right to charge the Germans with the crime.
They have done so many things equally bad, that we do not need to
bring charges against them of which we are not quite sure.

The Brigade was quartered in the little village of Steenje. It was a
pretty place, and it was delightful to be back in the peaceful country
again. May was bringing out the spring flowers and the trees wore
fresh green leaves. There was something about the exhilarating life we
were leading which made one extremely sensitive to the beauties of
nature. I have never cared much for flowers, except in a general way.
But now I noticed a great change. A wild flower growing in a ditch by
the wayside seemed to me to be almost a living thing, and spoke in its
mute way of its life of peace and contentment, and mocked, by its very
humility, the world of men which was so full of noise and death.
Colour too made a most powerful appeal to the heart. The gleam of
sunlight on the moss that covered an old thatched roof gave one a
thrill of gladness. The world of nature putting on its fresh spring
dress had its message to hearts that were lonely and anxious, and it
was a message of calm courage and hope. In Julian Grenfell's beautiful
poem "Into Battle," he notes this message of the field and trees.
Everything in nature spoke to the fighting man and gave him its own
word of cheer.

Of course all the men did not show they were conscious of these emotional
suggestions, but I think they felt them nevertheless. The green fields
and shining waters around Steenje had a very soothing effect upon minds
that had passed through the bitterest ordeal in their life's
experience. I remember one morning having a service of Holy Communion
in the open air. Everything was wonderful and beautiful. The golden
sunlight was streaming across the earth in full radiance. The trees
were fresh and green, and hedges marked out the field with walls of
l