his nastiness. 'I hope you did not mind me cursing you this morning,
Floyd,' he said. I replied that I did not, but said that I thought that
it would have been better for me to go on when I had got on the road.
Of course, he did not agree! When on the march if I call out a step he
washes it out and says that it is the wrong one. And he is always
criticizing one. Halstead is very different; he does not interfere with
one; in fact, he has complimented me on all occasions of these schemes.
After the General had mentioned that the left did so well the other day
Halstead said in the Mess: 'Yes, our left flank was fine, thanks to
Floyd; he managed it like a general!' That is, of course exaggeration in
the opposite direction; I make no claim to any talents of that kind: but
it is encouraging for one's company commander to talk like that, more
encouraging than the way the second-in-command, Giffin, behaves. Giffin
is quite agreeable generally, but I do not like his patronizing air.

"We have packed and sent off our kit-bags this evening, as we are
returning to the trenches in a day or two. So if you do not get any
letters for a few days shortly, do not get the wind up; I will write
whenever I have time....

"I am rather surprised to hear of the change in the Mediterranean
Command. I gather that Sir Archibald Murray, towards whom I entertained
such complete confidence, is sharing the fate of his famous predecessor,
Sir Ian Hamilton; for I learn that Sir Edmund Allenby, the victor of
Arras, is leaving France to take command in Egypt. Sir Julian Byng has
been appointed to command the Third Army in his place, and General Byng
is succeeded by General Currie as commander of the Canadian Corps.
Things have certainly been very quiet in Palestine lately; but I think
that is the fault of Sir William Robertson in taking Douglas' 42nd
Division away from Murray; but poor Murray gets sacked because he fails
to get on when supplied with insufficient troops! I am sorry. I had
pictured Sir Archibald Murray leading a victorious wing at Armageddon,
but that, apparently, is not now to be: Sir Edmund Allenby reigns in his
stead. Perhaps the new general will have more troops sent out to him;
perhaps we shall now get a move on in Palestine, so important a theatre
of operations; the arrival of Sir Edmund Allenby in the East may prove
the signal for a fresh offensive out there.[3] Sir Stanley Maude has
been very quiet lately; but I suppose the weather