IN TRENCHES.
_February 4th, 1915._

We returned here last night. Before leaving the billets I was going
round putting things right, when suddenly German shrapnel began
bursting over my head. I hustled my men under cover, and no one was
hurt, though a shrapnel broke the window in the house where we were
and came through it. We started off cheerfully enough, and arrived at
our trenches safely by 7 p.m. There was heavy firing on our right, and
at about 9 o'clock the German guns opened, putting shell all round us,
including one in the house next to us about 20 yds. away. Of course it
is only ruined walls, but it made a tremendous crack. The house is
rather a nice one of fresh red brick with bright red tiles on the
roof, and it also has blue and white glazed tiles over the doors and
windows. We then made ourselves horribly obnoxious with our machine
guns, and opened by arrangement. You never heard such a noise. As a
matter of fact, we knew that they were changing regiments at that
hour, and we tried to catch them with our artillery. Whether we
succeeded I cannot tell. I have been up and about since between 2 and
3 a.m., so one earns one's bread out here! The machine guns were
particularly busy, but there was hardly a shot fired at me in all my
rounds! This morning two German aeroplanes arrived. One of ours had
been playing about, but it fled when the enemy appeared. We fired on
them immediately, and they went off. Then ours came round again, and
the Germans reappeared, but it did not run away so fast, and we again
helped it. Now two of ours are sailing up and down, shot at by German
infantry, their own aeroplanes having vanished. From two different
German sources we learn that they expect the war to be over in April,
as they have told the troops that Russia is beaten. Some have admitted
that they hardly expect their troops will fight after April; but from
my knowledge of Germans I do not think they will be given the option;
they will be shot by the authorities if they do not fight. We have
also had the cheerful news that, regiment for regiment, their
casualties are about four times our number. This I believe to be
correct. I had a pleasant little lunch with the Colonel of the
Gunners, and a whisky and soda, which I have not tasted before in
France so far....

IN TRENCHES.
_F