“The B Company officers are:  Captain Andrews (Officer Commanding), Lieutenant Halstead (Second-in-Command) who is Company Commander while Captain Andrews is on leave, Lieutenant Giffin (a Rossall boy who, with the traditional Rossall touch, tries to play the ‘senior sub’ part—­always ticking one off and making personal remarks), Second-Lieutenant Allen, Second-Lieutenant Gratton, and myself.  Gratton was a private in Gallipoli, and so is a decent sort.  Allen is very orthodox and proper, and gets very ‘windy’ about being on parade in time; but he is a good sort and we are great friends.  He comes from Buxton way somewhere.  Gratton comes from the south; he was in the Royal Fusiliers as a Tommy.  Halstead comes from Haslingden; he is a very decent, calm, fellow.  He is married.  Giffin comes from Burnley.  He is about my age.  Gratton is twenty-seven.  The two latter were on leave when I arrived.

“Two new officers have recently arrived from Scarborough—­Walsh and Hickey.  They arrived there from cadet battalions just before I came out here.  They are in A Company, which is at present commanded by Captain Briggs, Captain Cochrane being on leave.  Lieutenant Ronald, an Argyll and Sutherland Highlander attached to this Battalion—­a decent sort—­is also in A Company; he has just been on leave.  Leave comes round in turn throughout the officers of the Battalion; it will be a long time before my turn comes:  perhaps when the war is over!  Horace Beesley of D Company is very nice with me; he is an awfully decent sort.  Lieutenant Joye, who is in command of Headquarters Company, is an amusing fellow; he is large and fat, with yellow hair and a smiling face.  Colonel Best-Dunkley is always going for him; he had him under open arrest for something paltry the other day!  Lieutenant West is Assistant Adjutant and also physical training officer.  Captain Bodington is in command of D Company while Captain Blamey is on leave.  Reggie Andrews, the Adjutant, amuses me.  He does not seem to worry much, though the Colonel gives him a deuce of a time; he is very short-sighted, but does not wear glasses.  He is very young.

“I am Orderly Officer to-day and have not performed a single duty appertaining thereto!  It was too late to mount the guard when I got back from the range; and the Colonel had a conference of all officers this evening at the time when staff parade was being held.  These conferences are a bore.  The Colonel blinks and twitches his nose, and the thing dawdles on.  The subject of the conference on this occasion was to discuss a Brigade scheme taking place on the training area on Wednesday.”

“June 27th.