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[Page 20]
issue of coal is 6 lbs per man twice a week, 4 of which goes to the cook house towards the preparation of his warm food. This is just about sufficient to keep the stove going from 4 in the afternoon till midnight – a real comfort. The sleeping is better than the Australian camps too. Three boards, about the width of a bed put together, rest on two tressles. A tick – straw mattress – and four blankets per man. You need it all tho' and it must be barely sufficient in the coldest weather.
Little work was done for the first 3 days. On the second day a batch of 1500 wounded, but convalescent Anzacs, came into the camp. They were 3 months light duty men, all from Posieres and other parts of the Somme. We gave them a great reception as they entered. Everyone swarmed round them to inquire after friends. It was very heart stirring to see some of our old boys, who were returned to Australia from Gallipoli, greeting their old pals who again did their bit in France & met their fate. A real good fellowship exists between these old campaigners which will last for life. Its great to see.
There quite a few of the old "light blue over dark blue", the 13th Battalion, and I proceeded to ward them concerning Alan. I had on my arrival written to him, thinking that he may have been wounded during the time I was crossing the briny, and I determined to find him if in hospital in England. Two boys told me they thought he was killed in France, but a third said they were thinking of a Cpl. Fryer, whose number was peculiarly 1340, the same as Alan's and who left the 13th Btn, to join the 45 Btn, when the troops were in Egypt. You can bet how I waited for the reply from headquarters. I cannot remember being more figety and out of sorts in my life. I simply couldn't go near the boys again for fear that they would tell me they knew for certain that the poor chap was dead. These boys don't waste words they have seen too much and suffered the loss of too many good