Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 56

[Page 56]

Jan 11th 1918
Maginnis tried several times during the night to induce me to change into his pill box; but I was too sleepy & comfortable to stir, in spite of his drawing attention to the way the shells were falling. This morning he seemed surprised to see me alive; & he showed me three nice new shell holes in a small semi circle round my position, which was undamaged. It must have been sheer weariness that had kept me asleep under the circumstances.

My appearance must be rotten, for when I went down to the ravine about an engineering fatigue – it appears that we are not to be limited to one fatigue, the M.O. stopped me & asked if I was reporting sick. He told me to report tomorrow; but I don't intend to, believing I can last out, and get better when we go out for a rest. The engineering fatigue was repairing some camouflage Fritz had shot away, & would have been quite a nice job if Fritz had not interfered in the middle of it.

The There is a bad shortage of paper – it is unobtainable at the canteen at Rear Battalion Headquarters in Ouraet Wood to which I went for the boys this morning. Even when we were back it was impossible to obtain decent writing blocks at the Y.M.C.A. or elsewhere. All they have is soldiers writing tablets, which are no good to me. I borrow some typewriting paper from Hdqrs when I can, but it's poor stuff. Candles also are unobtainable almost, and they are badly wanted.