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[Page 70]
L'Armee Post
21/5/16
Another very fine warm day with the unmistakable smell of summer in the air. Parade in the morning for those not on fatigue consisted of rapid loading with and without gas helmets. Most of them had done it in the regulation time – 30 rounds in 60 secs by three goes. In the helmets some look irresistibly comic with the rubber mouthpiece in their mouths. After lunch bayonet fighting and physical drill under Sergt, even this was much relished by all ranks.
Skene Smith returned from leave and also Peart full of expectations. At 7.30 arrive at L'Armee post as the officer representing the Brigade and to take charge of the advanced line in case of alarm or attack. Enemy bombarding in the direction of Erquinghem and our batteries replying from here. The place much shell shattered as also are adjoining farms but people still live on here. It is a rough life with uncouth soldiers about and makes women coarse: one hears young girls using filthy soldier oaths.
As instancing the unconventionality of these people there is on sale in the shops a beautiful picture of a lightly clad pretty girl injecting morphine into her leg. It is called "Consolation". This drug habit is very widespread among the demimonde. While talking to a girl she will make some excuse and furtively glancing round sniff vigourously at a small bottle in her handkerchief – sniffing cocaine. Ether is also used and can be smelt for sometimes after on the clothes after being with the used. An instance of the wrecks it makes was seen by us at Cairo – a shrieking naked maniac locked up in a vomit strewn room.
My room here is a small one upstairs and decorated with the usual religious pictures. It is a pretty little crossroad this summers night. A drunken civilian is roaring across the road to the amusement of some women. The crops have come on apace the last few days and potatoes are in flower. The grass is luxuriant and hedges all abloom. Twilight is very long and dawn comes early there is only about 6 hours of darkness. The men are being worked very hard & all have a full up feeling. We want to get back in the firing line again.
Today is Sunday.