“We eventually got to our destination, a certain camp.  We stayed the night there.  We tried to get some sleep on the floor in a large elephant dug-out, but found it utterly impossible:  the sound of the guns all round was too terrific.  This bombardment is as yet only in its early stages.  I was only a few hundred yards away from where I was last night on that night previous to the night of the Battle of Messines when the preliminary bombardment for that battle was at its height; yet I may say that the present one sounded last night just like that one sounded then.  So what will it become as the days roll on?

“We had breakfast at 4 this morning and marched off from this camp at 6.40.  We marched about nine miles to a village which was really only about six miles away!  I can tell you I was, and we all were, very tired indeed when we got here.  It was about midday when we arrived.  We are still well in sound of the guns, but just nicely out of range of them.  Nevertheless, air scraps have been going on overhead most of the day.  We are under canvas—­the whole battalion in a large field enclosed by hedges.  The weather is splendid; fine camping weather.  We had lunch about 2 p.m.  Then I played a game something like tennis (badminton).  The Colonel is very keen on it.  When he saw that I was going to play he said, ‘Oh, I’ll back the “General,"’ meaning me!  Then he showed me how to play.  He has been most agreeable with me all day.  Major Brighten has started calling me ‘The Field-Marshal!’ I think I cause these gentlemen considerable amusement!

“Sir Douglas Haig is in this village to-day; but as I have not been out of camp since I got here I have not seen anything of him.”

FOOTNOTE: 

[8] Churchill, London Magazine, Dec., 1916.

CHAPTER XIV

WATOU

The time we spent at Valley Camp, Watou, is duly chronicled in my diary.

“July 21st.

“We got here at 12.  Lunch at 2....  My servant Johnson reported sick with gas and departed for hospital; so I asked Sergeant Baldwin to suggest another.  He took me to M’Connon.  I endorsed the selection.  Allen’s servant, Parkinson, has also gone to hospital with gas to-day!  To bed 10 p.m.”

“July 22nd (Sunday).

“Breakfast in bed.  Up 9.30.  The Colonel had a conference of all officers re training and man-power.  Then there was a Church parade in the field at 12.15 p.m.  The main points of the padre’s sermon were Repentance, Hope, Intention.  In the afternoon Dickinson and I went over my platoon roll with the Sergeant-Major (Preston) to see how we stand.  He also did the same with the other platoons.  After tea I had a walk into the village of Watou and purchased some chocolates.  Then dinner.  The padre tells me that Archbishop Lang is in Poperinghe to-day.

“Critchley came back from hospital this evening; so he will resume his duties as my servant to-morrow.