on of bacon as well. That was a
difficulty at first, as neither the adjutant's nor my book gave the
French for bacon. However, by introducing the word _cochon_, we
arrived at the fact that here amongst her class it was called
_porc_--so there we are! Then luncheon is a sad affair, with generally
some cold thing followed only by cheese. At tea (made very weak) from
our ration stuff, she now gives us toast, though there, again, we had
no such word in our book. I managed to remember that it was _pain
roti_, and we got along. Dinner is not bright, but yesterday we were
blessed with a pudding of rice strongly flavoured with vanilla. To-day
I am off for a wade with my officers to show them what they must learn
about my new lines. Such a trouble as it is getting there, with shell
flying and bursting all around one, and rifle bullets humming
everywhere. I hate this business cordially, but what will you! If
these scamps are not driven back, they will try to rule the world, and
will kill and burn as they think fit, and that will not do at all! The
Russians seem to be doing good work in killing the unfortunate
Germans. Let us hope that the whole thing will go with a run now, and
that it will not last much longer.... Love to the children....

_P.S._--I lost two N.C.Os. killed yesterday by one bullet through
their heads, and another of my poor men had his tongue cut out.

_March 5th, 1915._

MY DEAREST F----

I am writing this in great haste, as I am just off to the General's on
important business. I was most interested in reading various friends'
letters on my "mention." What it has really been in the way of being
shot at would cover a small campaign three times over, and I do not
doubt many of my officers and men have had even a worse time than
myself, and there is very much more hard work to come. The French Army
can always produce fresh troops for each fresh job, but our smaller
army has to send the same troops up to everything, and then when the
regiment is reduced to fragments, it is filled up with anyone from
anywhere, and to the authorities it is the same as the original good
regiment. Before I forget, and in case anything happens to me, I want
to tell you again that all my securities are at Cox; there is a list
of them in my despatch case, and you will find one lot of title deeds
that I had not as yet had time to look over in the Oak Room. I have
been so hustled ever sinc