A Story of War

A couple of days ago the lad who lives between Buckshee and Conical Piquets kept up intermittent firing between 1.30 and 4pm. One shot hit a mule just inside No 1 gate and then badly wounded a surveyor Babu. The policeman said he dared not go into his sentry box if it rained, as it wasn’t bullet proof.

Yesterday afternoon they saw some snipers lying out in the open, Horseshoe way, and No 2 post sprayed them ineffectively with a V.B. Had a letter from Bill today, enjoying himself, but expecting a war in Europe any time, and being rushed to Egypt in that case. Went up Conical on an artillery shoot today. Conical commands a wonderful view, nullahs and reverse slopes innumerable. We controlled by Clock Code methods, and we were surprisingly accurate. During one lull, an immense boar came ambling out of a clearing and waddled up a nullah out of site. An immense beast he was, and quite out of place up here. The Rajput Indian officers tried out the skating rink last night and they were damn funny, being old and fairly stout.

Well, today is the day of the supposed column but no reliable news of one yet. Some lads can prove conclusively that there will be one soon, or between such and such dates, with first hand evidence. Others similarly can prove there will be no column until the so and so’th. I wrote to Colonel Ekin last night to see if I can get any news.