Item 02: John Duncan McRae diary, 11 December 1916-9 February 1917 - Page 87

[Page 87]

tired, cold etc & were marched straight to the dining-hall (of which more later) & there received a drink of coffee, some soup & bread & by 11.45 we were rolling ourselves in our 4 blankets, waiting patiently for the kindly hand of sleep to touch our wearied spirits.

Jan. 31. We did not get up at Reveille this morning but stayed in bed till 7 o'clock and at 7.15 went for our breakfast. Unlike Liverpool, we have our meals here in a "dining-hall" which is a large room with tables & forms to accommodate about 250 men. In the centre is a large warming stove to help make the place habitable in winter. We do not have to serve as orderlies but simply sit down 16 at a table & the cooks assistants place the dixies of food at the end of the table & the end men deal it out. When we have finished we leave the place as we found it & wash our own dishes in tubs of warm water supplied for the purpose outside. No eating is allowed in our living huts.