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 427
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[Page 427]
therefore no appearance of "head" officers involving exertion.
The men had to suffer in accommodation to gratify the selfish wish for an easily dispensed with, luxury.
Of course once the line goes forward it is surprising to see the number of officers, especially those "on the Staff", who bravely gallop over the "captured" country, – it is now not so much cut up by continuous shell fire, – with an air about them that they are really "the real soldiers". Brave men! say the admiring privates, returning from the thick of the fighting on the firing line, "What good soldiers"!! "Old ones"!!!
On returning from the afternoon parade, information came through the "Babbling Brooks", (the Cooks) that the Battalion would move out to the attack that same night & that they had received instructions to get a meal ready to be served at 10 pm – not with the concomitants of a first class hotel but as equally well appreciated.
As is usual, for that the move is actually to be made is as often as not doubted & so was this.
However the rushing about of NCOs & officers shows that something of importance is about to take place
The men quietly commence to get ready - making a last examination of the packs so as only to take along what they themselves consider they actually require, the first & always the first in France, "Socks" as many socks as can be comfortably or even uncomfortably carried, next cigraettes & Tobacco, then private papers & souvenirs etc. For an hour or so there was an air of slackness as if everyone was too busy on his own behalf to bother about whether ordinary routine work was being carried out.
That "Slackness" was patent, was evidenced by the fact that when the new guard was lined up for inspection, this was done by the NCO & not the O/C as usual. Needless to say that guard did not do any duty.
However all doubts were dispelled