“I got here about 8.30, and went to the mess of the 23rd Infantry Base Depot.  Here I found Bridgestock, Hamer, and Allin (officers who had been at Scarborough with me, and had come out a few days earlier).  They have been here nearly a week.  They are going to the 3/5th Lancashire Fusiliers.  I had some supper before going to bed in my tent.  We are three in a tent.  Leigh and Macdonald are the names of my tent companions.

“Fortunately it is Sunday to-day.  So we did not get up until 7.45.  I did not feel like rising until then!

“We (the twenty Lancashire Fusilier officers who arrived here yesterday) saw the Adjutant, Captain Reid, this morning, in the orderly room, and had some information given to us.  I spent most of the morning at the field cashier’s, waiting for an ‘advance of pay book’!  Then lunch.  It is now about 2.30 in the afternoon.

“As I expected, I find that I have too much kit:  I am told that I shall have to get rid of some when I get to my unit.  I am at present writing on my nice table, but no other officers have brought out tables or chairs or anything of that kind!  Well—­we shall see....”

“May 28th, 1917.

“It is still boiling hot; thank goodness we have finished for to-day!  I must first, however, tell you how I spent the remainder of yesterday, after writing home.  I spent the afternoon in the town.  I explored most of it.  Happening to pass the church, I saw a great crowd.  It was full inside; the west doors were open, and people were sitting in the doorway and standing out in the street watching the service.  So I too stopped and watched.  It was most interesting, but as the service was conducted in French (apparently the Gallican Church differs from the Roman Catholic Church in England in that the service is conducted in the vernacular), I do not know what the service was.  Although most of it was in French, bits were in Latin.  It was exceptionally spectacular.  There were about a hundred little boys in surplices and little girls in white veils (as if dressed for confirmation), all carrying long, lighted candles.  Music and hymns were proceeding all the time.  The little boys and girls were standing still part of the time, and processing up and down the chancel at other times.  Eventually they all processed past the senior priest, attired in full vestments; and he blew out their candles as they passed.  Towards the close of the service, a little girl, carrying her candle, was brought out by the priest and stationed in front of the altar with her face to the congregation; then she recited, in French, something which sounded like a very long creed.  She was only about twelve or thirteen; but she did it without a stop, and in a clear, pleasant voice.  After that a bell rang, everybody bent their heads, and the priest pronounced the Benediction.  Then the congregation came out, and behind came the boys and girls and the priest.  The people lined the road, and the procession walked