of writing to you
every day whenever I can! A shell descended yesterday in the cottage I
run across to for my meals. I had just left, but I fancy there were
still enough people on the spot to be badly frightened. The Guard over
me from the Lincoln Regiment all fell or were blown down by the
explosion. Little Mr. Wright also was surprised. However, only Major
Baker's servant was hurt by a blow from a broken tile which cut his
chest, and another man was hit by a flying brick. After that I was
showing the General and other celebrities round the trenches. In one
place they really had a most amusing time, running down a very muddy
ditch crouched up double, whilst stray bullets flew about, and the
shell burst fortunately just 200 yards beyond us. Nasty stuff, too; a
tree about 50 feet high was caught by the explosion and cut off just
half way up. We go back to our shell-swept area for 3 days, though
whether we are much safer there I do not know, but we certainly are
more comfortable. Here with the rain there has been a steady drip into
the dug-out, and added to this the trenches have fallen in, and they,
of course, are ankle deep in mud. Mud is everywhere; on my face, on my
coat, and up nearly to my waist. I hear that the hostess of our last
billets turned rusty with the next people, and refused to let them
into her house, so had to come under the correction of the Provost
Marshal. I thought she would get into trouble. Your postcard was very
amusing. I heard from General Macready[5] two days ago. The guns are
booming away, but the sniping has decreased to-day.

I have to stop for duty now....

IN BILLETS.
_December 10th, 1914._

We marched away from our trenches last night, and no one was hit,
fortunately. A machine gun opened on us just before we started, and
gave three bursts of fire, and of course the sniping went on steadily
as usual. I soon found out that this gun fire was drawn by a foolish
corporal of the Lincolnshire Regiment, who, in cooking his guards'
suppers, had a fire with flames four feet high. A few biting words
relieved my feelings and put the fire down! Still bullets did fly
around us, over our heads and beside us, while we passed along in the
black night. Mr. Wright, my Adjutant, saw one strike in a puddle
between him and myself as we marched at the head of the Regiment. You
will be interested to know what our