“How is Lord Rhondda going on as Food Controller?  Are things any better than they were under Devonport?  Lloyd George seems to be declining in popularity.  And the people seem determined not to have Churchill in office!  So what will happen?  Things are very quaint at present.

“Well, darkness has descended upon the country-side; it is time I was retiring to rest; I therefore lay down my pen.  Good night!”

My diary, under date June 30, states:  “A quiet morning.  Inspections.  Then went to see relief plan of area of our forthcoming attack in a field at Boisdinghem.”

Thus ended our long rest.  The evening of June 30—­our last at Westbecourt—­is one which is still well remembered by those who were there, and still much spoken of by those who were not there!  It was a lively evening in the various company messes.  Champagne was much in demand, and “all went merry as a marriage bell.”  I will never forget the fun we had in B Company Mess that evening.  I laughed for two hours without ceasing.  At 11 p.m.  I returned to my billet whence the staid and quiet Allen had already preceded me.  I talked volubly to him for about a quarter of an hour, apparently causing him considerable amusement, and then would insist on going back to the mess for my Church Times which I had left there.  When I got there the mess was locked up, so I had to return without it!  The most amusing point about this episode is that an officer who was in another company mess at the time has always professed to know more about the happenings in B Company Mess that evening than any B Company officers who were present!

FOOTNOTE: 

[3] See Appendix I.

CHAPTER VIII

BACK TO THE SALIENT

We returned to Ypres on July 1.  Everybody was thinking and talking about the great Battle on the Somme of which this was the first anniversary; but before the day was over we ourselves had cause to remember the first of July.

My diary contains a brief synopsis of the journey: 

“July 1st.

“Up 4 a.m.  Breakfast 4.40.  Marched off from Westbecourt at 6.15.  Marched to Lumbres.  The place full of Portuguese.  Entrained there.  Train left Lumbres at 10 a.m.  Went through St. Omer, Hazebrouck, and Poperinghe.  We got out at Brandhoek, about two miles beyond Poperinghe—­nearly at Vlamertinghe.  Marched to Query Camp.  Remained here in tents during the afternoon.  The arrangements concerning us seem very vague.  Divisional Staff do not appear to have given very definite orders to General Stockwell.  But one thing is known:  we are to relieve the 165th Brigade in the trenches in the Ypres Salient.  At Query Camp we are about three miles from the German front line, and so well within range of the guns.  They are booming as usual all the time.”

In a letter written home from the Ramparts the following day, July 2, I described our return to the Salient as follows: