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[Page 83]
Erquinghem-Sur-Lys
5/6/16
Awakened at 6 pm by Sergt Major re fatigues and put on gumboots and overcoat and went over to have a look at the men. They had no bed clothes or blankets at all and were lying huddled up in restless cold sleep on their hut floors. There was a great deal of coughing.
Later on in the day all were pleased to see the transports come up bearing our blankets home again. It is to be hoped that the brass hatted idiot who was responsible for the calling in of thousands & thousands of blankets and the transport and trouble of checking them at Ordinance only to have them sent back again when we protested – it is to hope that that idiot falls into the fat over his performance particularly as it means men sleeping on a big cold windy night with no wrap but a greatcoat. This cursed lack of sense and ridiculous orders and the messing about of everyone owing to incompetence whinnies whose only qualification is some all aged blue blood all this is fast losing us the war.
Slept in until 10.30am, my batman bringing me breakfast in bed. After lunch went with Curnow to the baths and had a voluptuous steaming and clean change.
Walked along to the old Erquinghem church which looks very old but bears no date at all. The churchyard is crowded with hideous wooden tomb "stones" with circular tops. This points all ways in some cases an enormous oblong glass case is erected at the head of the graves, just like an upended coffin with glass top. Inside are tawdry wreaths, tiny china images &c and in some cases there is even a photograph of the late lamented.
The inscriptions are painted on the wood in most cases. Here are two "Ici Repose le Corps de Mademoiselle Blanche Hbeline Turck decedee 17 Janvier 1907 v'age de 22 ans. Admministore des acrements. R.I.P." "Ici repose le Corps de Levantime Alphonsine Charles Espouse de Henri Parsy De D'Accidentelement