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[Page 58]
The men should be kept at it as long as with due respect of course to their physical nourishment in the way of food & rest - & not allowed to "linger by the wayside" for a month or two in comparative idleness. By it, they lose the sound of battle they become acquire as it were a growing sense of security & become perhaps so when the pinch comes "to go in & win out" their nerves won't stand the strain, the transition has become been too severe, too sudden & they have therefore lost their former sting.
6 months here is sufficient for any man – even if he be the purest physical specimen one could clap his eyes on. It is simply a question of luck whether you go down ill or not. It is certainly not a question of physical endurance – the rough life, the unchanging diet, contagion from flies, etc. spells danger throughout at any time of the day.
At present I sincerely believe we are evacuating 200 per cent more sick than wounded every day.
Sent 2 Service Cards out each to Dad, Mabel, Grace.
Saturday 25th Sept. 1915
Had a fair night – fleas however were pretty lively – bivouac will be completed today I hope. Capt Ryrie is doing his best in this direction.
A clever piece of work on the enemy's part is reported from Lone Pine – "At one part of our line several periscopes and periscopic rifles were hit. On close inspection of the ground a sack was noticed halfway between the enemy's trenches and our own. This sack was seen to move and finally 2 sacks with men inside were made out. The sacks were fired on and the trouble ceased.
Extract from English Bulletin – 24/9/15 – Gen. mobilisation has been ordered in Bulgaria. "This does not necessarily imply that Bulgaria has taken the decisive step to liaise with the neutral powers which has been the ultimate object of German diplomacy. Negotiations have been good for some time now with a view to satisfying the legitimate aspirations of Bulgaria and one [indecipherable] Government has planned an attack whereby in conjunction with an Austro-German offensive or one mobilisation is only intended to produce stronger opposition though the purpose of negotiation is still doubtful."
The Bulgarian mobilisation is explained by the Bulgarian Minister in London as the beginning of an armed neutrality. The news of the mobilization has caused a great excitement in Athens where a meeting of the Greek Cabinet was summoned by the Premier. (War Office Telegram 24/9/15.)
Berlin admits Russian successes at 3 parts on Sept 25. The critical stage in the Russian retreat from Vilna is over. (War Office telegram 26/9/15)
Eiffel Tower reports 26/9/15 – (inter alia) – On the Belgian coast the French batteries have cooperated with the British fleet in bombarding the German position at Wepende & Middlekerke. In Champagne after a fresh & very violent bombardment of the trenches