of course we should not get Bapaume, at the same time
allowing he thought there might be a moving battle in the spring. From
his conversation I gathered that they were very familiar with
formation and movements of most of our Colonial units. The
_tete-a-tete_ at an end, I was taken to my quarters, a bare
whitewashed room, containing one French flying officer, two British
lieutenants, if I remember rightly, both in the D.L.I., having been
taken near Bapaume, and also a Canadian sergeant-major. It is
unnecessary to say how pleased I was to see them. Some one had
acquired a portion of an old magazine, which was much sought after, it
being the only means of passing the time. Our sleeping accommodation
consisted of two old straw mattresses, one on the floor and the other
on a shelf above.

Being tired we slept soundly, but in the morning we were horrified to
find we had not been alone, but that quite a varied menagerie had
shared our couches with us. Why the blankets did not run away in the
night I cannot think. The Huns promised to have lots of things done
but never did anything, in fact, they lie as easily as they breathe,
even when there is nothing to be gained by it.

A comparatively nice N.C.O. was in charge of us, called Nelson! We
afterwards learnt that his father had been English, and that his own
knowledge of England appeared to be confined to an Oxford restaurant.
One day when our lunch, consisting of black and watery soup, was
brought up he sympathetically remarked that it was a pity we could not
have chicken and ham. I wonder what he would have done had some one
enticingly rattled a shilling on a plate?

During the day we were allowed to walk round the barrack square for
about three hours with eighty British and a hundred and fifty French
soldiers, some of whom were daily detailed to work in the town. I
noticed that the Germans were inclined to treat our soldiers the
worst, frequently shouting threats at them in their guttural
language. In the evenings I sometimes managed to get downstairs with
the men, and in this way was able to join in some impromptu
sing-songs. Sanitary arrangements were very bad and disinfectants
unknown. We were allowed to buy a little extra bread and some turnip
jam at exorbitant prices, which helped us considerably, as breakfast
consisted only of luke-warm acorn coffee, lunch of a weird soup
containing sauerkraut or barley, supper of soup or tea alternate days.
We amused ourselves by