Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 44
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[Page 44]
in cold tea, left in my mess-tin from breakfast - it's marvellous what a chap will do in the army. If you were told in civil life what you'd do when you joined the army, you'd never believe it, one thing no trifling inconveniences will ever trouble a chap who comes safely through the war. Our company commander told us we'd move up into close reserves this evening to Sailly au Bois, the front line is at Hebuterne. In the afternoon I got a lovely mail, 10 letters, 6 from Elsie, & I've now received every one of hers up to No. 30 which is splendid- also got 2 from Will, 1 from Nin, & 1 from Miss Tofft. Had read 8 of the 10 when at 5.30 p.m. the order to fall in was given. We marched away in the rain, & the road was like pea soup. We went 1 ½ mile without a halt, & for the first time since hitting England, the perspiration was dripping from under my steel hat, altho' it was rather chilly. The helmet makes my head ache. We went into good dugouts took the place of the 14th Bn. in reserve, they went up into supports. The whiz of shells from our guns shrieks through the air, & all around I see holes where Fritz's shells have dropped. I hope he doesn't