Item 01: R. T. Vowles diary, 22 August 1915-23 February 1916 - Page 7
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[Page 7]
one am. & find no candle or matches it usually caused a mild riot owing to treading on the sleeping dorgs or falling over the dresser, muttering all kinds of wild imprecautions & cussing the day they enlisted. Lights out was sounded at 10.15am previous to which are sounded two warnings by bugle, one at 9.30pm called First Post, another at a10pm called Last Post & then two mournful wails on the bugle termed Lights out but which generally brought forth a storm of counting outs from the tents.
For half an hour after Lights out, the orderly corporal would have the time of his life yelling out Put that light out here – The usual answer being "go to ---." As fast as one went out another would light up. Eric's arrival on a late night was generally heralded by his well known footsteps, his exclamations of "Struth", Stone the crows & various other expressions, Then followed a splendid exhibition of how to get into bed in the dark, but he was no pelican. As sure as he got on one 'plate' (foot) it would end in