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extra work to do owing to the new reinforcements coming in. After dinner went for a walk with Rowl King, to Sutton Veny & Warminster, on the way to S. Veny we saw an old church dating back to the 13th Century.
* [See additional note below]
half of it was in ruins overrun with ivy, on one end of the church is an inscription in very old fashioned english. Anne, the wife of Holland E.L. Deyd Mch 28, in the year of our Lord 1728, in the 42nd year of her age. A woman not inferior to any of her Sex. In Conjugal love, universal benevolence Unspotted integrity and unaffected piety & vertue. Happy no doubt unless sensible of __ oblidge.
We could not get inside but peeped through a broken window, the walls are covered with marble slabs, some very old, in the church yard, are many old graves, some of the vaults were open, in one we saw some bones. It was exceedingly interesting. We then went on along the road to Sutton Veny then to Warminster, saw another Church dating back to the 15th Century, was in very good repair, and well looked after, after having tea we walked back to Camp, arriving 8.30, tired but satisfied with our outing.
Sunday Feby 17th
up at 6.30, very cold, everything covered with thick frost. 9.30 the sun came out, very nice too. 10 PM Church parade. After dinner had a sleep until 4 PM. A very cold night, sat by the fire, never went out.
*[See note above.]
The red church is of Norman origin, the remains of front wall proves this, and was rebuilt in the 13th century.
Monday Feby 18th
on parade 6.45. Another heavy frost, the water in the buckets in the hut had ½ inch of ice on them.
3 PM had to go on special parade about cleaning our huts. After tea went to Concert at Anzac Theatre, a very poor show, came home before it was half over and sat by the fire and read.