Item 02: John Duncan McRae diary, 11 December 1916-9 February 1917 - Page 60

[Page 60]

'Ease before elegance', par excellence. But, the day gets hotter still & so just now my only articles of clothing are identification disc & wristlet watch. And still it gets hotter!! I suppose the disc & watch will have to come off next. If the worst comes to the worst I may even have to part with my 'moustache'.

Dec. 8. Too hot for drill so we had a salt-water shower and a sun bake & played five hundred.

Dec. 9. Last night I was let down from my hammock by some night-owl, who untied my rope. At 6 A.M. I had to assist the 2nd Steward and before breakfast dragged coal to the cookhouses & carried frozen meat to the butcher. After breakfast we carried potatoes etc. & prepared same for the cook. By ten o'clock my job was finished so I had the rest of the day to myself.

We have in our company a very tall, thin Corporal known formerly as the 'human gaspipe' but of late he has been called 'Good Friday', because there is no meat on him.