Item 03: Joseph George Burgess war diary, 1 January 1916-4 February 1917 - Page 233
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 233]
22 Dec, 1916
Ruesatt
Last night after I had myself nice & comfortable in my bivvy & had got the blankets curled around me to my satisfaction, lit a fag which I tried vainly to imagine was not an "issue" one, & settled myself to a couple of hours perusing one of Jacobs enlightening works; I heard Perce's voice shouting "A troop"! I cocked my ear despondently & heard the warning "Is to be ready to move off on patrol to Ruesatt, two feed for man & horse at 5.45 in the morning" so I had to "turnout" & collect some bully, tea & sugar, feed etc for the start off in the morning; And here we are. We have boiled the quarts & have had breakfast, Perce was elated at his quart being the first to come to the boil, & gave evidence of the fact but it got up-set so his elation passed from him to the rest of the troop & I heard some one quote from the scripture the words €“ "He that was first shall be last". The Signallers are perched on top of the hill which bears the name the rest of us are in a hollow with the nags, Most of the boys are busy with bridge & "500".