Item 05: John Duncan McRae papers, 20 March 1917-27 September 1917 - Page 4

[Page 4]

mention that one bloater apiece constitutes the allowance for an ordinary breakfast. So much for our Bacchanalian festivities at Rollestone.

On Monday last I & a detail of 40 men, including myself, was chosen to act as firing-party at an officer's funeral. This entailed a fair amount of ceremonial work & for a day & a half we were rehearsed in this and on Tuesday afternoon attended the funeral. We were very specially cleaned & polished up for the occasion & were somewhat proud of ourselves, I am afraid. From Rollestone we marched 4 miles to meet the gun-carriage & we were lead by our full brass-band with the drum-Major wielding his baton in front. A number of mourners, including officers & 200 men went with us. After meeting the gun-carriage we lead the procession, marching in two lines, one on either side of the road, in slow-time the band rendering in grand, pompous style the Dead March in 'Saul' & Chopin's Funeral March. After the ceremony in the Church we marched to the Cemetery & there after resting on our 'arms reversed' during the service, we