The ceremony over, we started at once for the Kunghure front, and the early morning found us sliding rapidly down the European side of the Urals.  Huge forests, all loaded with snow, covered the mountain sides, and there was a temperature quite impossible for British military operations.  We arrived about 11 A.M. at the headquarters of the army under the command of General Count Galitzin.  We held long conferences and then lunched in his mess, which was quartered in an eight-wheeled American truck.  An occasional shell exploded first to right and then to left, but none came very near, and by 2 P.M. the firing died away altogether.  It was decided to march to the advanced outpost and take the band to give both friend and foe an opportunity to judge a sample of British music.  We got to the extreme point near which a cutting in the railway gave excellent protection for the band, while the admiral’s Staff and my Middlesex guard went forward to have a look at the enemy.  The band started “Colonel Bogey,” then went on to something which I do not remember, but while we were groping about through machine-gun pits, etc., the band behind began “Tipperary.”  That just put the finishing touch to Bolshevik patience!  This famous war tune got on their gunners’ nerves and they began to shell the tune for all they were worth.  Needless to say not a single shell went anywhere near the mark.  All shrieked over our heads and exploded harmlessly among the forest trees; one, however, dropped near the railway bridge and went off like a Hampstead squib on a wet bonfire night.  It shows an utter lack of culture among the Bolshevik officers that they could not appreciate good music after we had taken so much trouble to bring it within their reach.  The band finished and the shelling ended.  I expect they fancied they had frightened my bandsmen, but the fact was they enjoyed the unique experience immensely.

General Count Galitzin is a very fine type of the officer of the old regime; an aristocrat to his finger tips, but a fine leader of men, born to command.  I should think there is a big strain of Tartar blood in his make-up, but he is altogether the sort of man one would prefer to meet as friend rather than foe.  We discussed the possibility of an offensive in the direction of Perm, from where I humorously suggested we might be able to rescue the forces of General Poole, which had gone into winter quarters somewhere in the direction of Archangel.  We returned to Ekaterinburg, and without stopping, proceeded towards the Lisvin front to meet General Pepelaieff.

We arrived on the Lisvin front about 10 A.M. next day, but did not see the enemy or hear his guns.  This army had been compelled to retire some 60 versts the very day we were discussing an advance on Perm, and its present position was none too secure.  Pepelaieff is a young general, not more than thirty, but looked a real hard-working soldier.  His uniform was as dirty and worn, though not quite so dilapidated,