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[Page 82]
officers and under-officers, who worry everybody by shouting and storming and making up additional working parties. The Hun temper is vile and he delights to increase our torture and misery. Food riots and strikes are very prevalent in large towns. The newspapers are often suppressed in Berlin and other cities. The most recent orders issued are very unsatisfactory, i.e. all men must be out of barracks before 7.30 a.m. to exercise in the square. Hun posterns and under-officers see that the orders are carried out. Sick, wounded and cripples are included in this order. Those able to get about on sticks or crutches quite agree with the idea but unfortunately sick men who are unfit to exercise or walk, are included. Many men unfit to leave bed are compelled to join in the queue and not a few have fainted before reaching the square. Men cuaght in bed are struck with riffle butts and prodded with bayonets. The second morning after the order was issued 250 men were taken to the straffe barrack by a Hun captain to suffer four days black bread and water and eight hours daily incessant marching round the enclosure. Several sick men refused to comply with the order, consequently this punishment was imposed upon all. The following I think is worth mentioning. The rate of exchange various often and according to the progress made on the various fronts. The Mark has decreased lately. This is due entirely to the recent British success on the Western Front.
16th-20th. My parcels have ceased. Hun reports state, that transport difficulties have caused thousands of parcels to be intercepted at Limburg and held up indefinitely. Usually my mess mates and I manage to reserve a little food in case of emergency; at present our locker is bare. Ah! well. I have been able to exist on Hun soups previously so I think I am able to do it again. Nearly every Friday we receive a raw herring which I have tried in vain to eat. The only possible means of making the more or less decomposed fish palatable, is to roast it, even then the odious smell nearly stifles one. Fish soups are the chief foods nowadays. Despite my hunger I have not yet managed to eat a bowl of this horrid stuff; the Russians make short work of it. The monotony is awful and my wound is very painful, accidently, I fell over a