Item 02: Arthur Henson Smith letters, 8 January 1917-19 August 1919 - Page 63
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 63]
it was as low as 10° which as you know, is 22 ° below freezing point! Absolutely everything was frozen. My toothpaste, ink, tobacco freezes as hard as stone. My moustache is eternally a band of solid ice. If I leave my shaving water for a few minutes the top becomes ice. I have to put my boots, pants, shirt &c before a fire each morning to thaw them so that I could can put them on. If anything is left outside the dugout at night it requires a pick & shovel, or a crowbar next morning to shift it as it becomes frozen so completely to the ground. I simply hate going to bunk each night between blankets which have frozen as stiff and hard as boards. As we are in a position which is under direct enemy observation promiscuous fires are naturally impossible and that emphasizes the unpleasantness & awkwardness of affairs. To write or do