Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 354
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[Page 354]
when drearily wending ones way along a line of slippery duck boards after going about four miles as on this front, the Soup Kitchen comes in sight & the whole of the men "buck up" knowing they are sure to obtain a tinful of hot cocoa or soup, & often a biscuit & cigarette as well.
It is really wonderful what a heartening effect such a small thing as this, has on the spirits of the men. The expressions of gratitude, from thousands of tired men would do the givers or providers, of this most welcome drink, good if they could only hear them. The next couple of miles do not seem half as long & most of the men are either whistling or singing the best part of the way to the huts. It puts the men in the best of humour & every man turns in laughing & making little of all their cares & troubles.
However next morning they are soon brought back to earth again. Reveille has gone, the men have to turn out for a parade & Rifle inspection.
Upon this occasion the Company had to turn out even without any breakfast at all. A meal at eleven oclock had to do for both breakfast and dinner & notice was given of another inspection at two oclock.
Much more ordinary common sense would have been shown had the men, just back from the line, been supplied with what they were craving for, food & rest. Which would have recouped the energies & stamina of the men much more, than the inevitable parade & irritating inspection, for food & rest. Officers never lack of either.
Luckily for the Sentry one of the men who had been working on the "dug outs" in the line had been returned sick & hearing that the work would last all through the winter he volunteered to take the sick mans place, left straight away, & went back to the line, only too eager to get away from what he considered useless parades where men were kept standing for sometimes an hour before the C/O puts in an appearance & then after he makes an inspection, every one knows full well what will be said for it is said upon every occasion whether