Item 06: Frank H. Molony diary, 25 March 1918-7 August 1918 - Page 209

[Page 209]

July 16
266.
Yesterday afternoon from H.Q. at 4 to Borre, and an arriving here again this morning at 10. Tom cold to freeziness, and only my getting in first word held his anger from breaking. Without expression, he held up his hand, "You might have arrived here before 9!" So I held my explanation.

A good night at Borre, only blue Herring missing from the reunion. Mother served up to 13 of us a dinner of 8 courses. Beers, wine, champagne and an improvised liquer – of Brandy, pepper, cloves and other stuffs. Dancing till past midnight so slept there.

At 5 Len pulled me out of bed – "to come and have a look at the storm brewing and the colour of the skies", a sky of darkling green and veiled flashings of pale summer lightning, the rain in torrents – a flooding of the road, and rushing water all about.

Bobby at La Kreule going to Borre loaned me the May, June "Poetry Review". Basil sending down as soon as read Balzac's "Tragedy of a Genius".

July 16
267.
Night, a muggy terrible day – the iron hut an oven, and all day working.

All the morning and the afternoon, the pool and splashing bathers and sun bakers: in the evening, with a half moon pale in a dove blue sky, heavy with great shadowing clouds, the pool still full of bathers, the bodies white in the grey light.

Since 4, and still heavily rumbling, the guns from the line firing sullenly and in concert.

No Mail: yesterday, the T.B.C. of July 4, the July "To-Day" – with a Mais critique of Siegfried Sassoon's Poetry, & a damning "End-paper" in Beaumont's "New Paths", a letter from Gerald – of his going home, and a rather good snapshot, and the Anzac Bulletin – one note today though – from "Mother" asking for monies [?] for the Dinner of last night!

At the Irishman's Field P.O. cashed for 10-90 the P.O. bought last Friday, payed it to Ken – borrowed for Cassell.