Item 02: John Duncan McRae diary, 11 December 1916-9 February 1917 - Page 21

[Page 21]

spent most of their time in the 'Pubs' and when the officer came to look for his men to return to the boat he couldn't find half of them. About three were quite drunk & couldn't walk straight & many of them were fairly full. Alan & I also enjoyed ourselves. There was a church just near our post & we asked the caretaker for permission to play the organ, & he let us in and we had a great old play. Just before leaving a nice girl from a house just opposite our post, to whom we had been smiling, asked us if we would have a cup of tea; & we didn't say no! She brought two chairs out on the verandah, but just before she could get the tea ready the officer came round & we had to get back home without it. Just our luck again!

The picquet was reported for its drunkenness & was punished by being stopped from leave that evening. Of course the innocent suffered with the guilty but the punishment was so slight that we didn't mind, although some of the boys squeaked some. A number of them went ashore despite the detention