l Stockwell, with
whom he had just been conversing, were equally "bucked" about it all.
And he laughingly chaffed me upon my pessimism. I told him quite frankly
that I did not share the general opinion.

That night only one company had to go out to work, and the company
detailed was C Company; so I was not affected.

In the course of a letter written the following day (June 8) I wrote:

"I went to bed about 10 last night. About 2, Barker, Priestley, and
Verity returned from their working parties. Priestley was very doleful;
he was mournfully discussing the horrors of the war, and of his
evening's experiences in particular. And it appears that there was some
reason, for he had been in command of a party of eight whose mission had
been to fetch back some steel helmets from the trenches. (A ruse had
been played upon the Boche on Messines Night. A large number of helmets
had been placed in such a position as to encourage the Boche to think
that we were concentrating troops there instead of, or as well as, at
Messines and Wytschaete!) They were returning, and Priestley was
remarking that the Boche was very quiet just at present, when a shell
burst amongst them. Four of his party were wounded and one killed; and a
piece of shrapnel went right through the tube of his box-respirator, he
himself escaping unhurt. A near shave! 'Well, do you think those helmets
were worth the life of one man and injury to four others?' I heard him
asking."

In my next letter (June 9) I wrote:

"There was only one working party last night. I went to bed at 10 p.m.
At 10.20 there was a terrible row on our front. A big artillery duel was
going on, machine-guns were firing continuously, and flares were going
up! I sat up in bed and watched it all through the prison bars. It went
on for about twenty minutes! I should think it must have been a raid of
some sort. Shortly after this, Priestley came to bed, and, later, Verity
and Barker. We had quite a long discussion upon all kinds of topics
ranging from the conduct of the war (East versus West), and the doctrine
of the Apostolical Succession, to the character and policy of Winston
Churchill (whom, of course, they all detest!), and the pre-war morals of
civilian Ypres, concerning which Barker held very decided views. We
went on arguing until dawn broke! Then we got to sleep.

"I rose at 10 this morning. When I entered the mess for breakfast I was
greeted by the inquiry from Captain Andrews: 'How's P