A Story of War

I go up Oak eventually. There is a bit of shooting on several piquets. Some sniping comes from the sangar Bare Patch way, just above me, however they fire on everyone but us. Two shells arrive up there, so I put in two bursts of V.B. fire to sort of keep the pot boiling. This has the desired effect and no more shooting from up there. “C” company on Horseshoe were shot up, Pte Woodward being killed, and one other getting hit in the arse. I don’t believe these buckshot stories. It’s broken bullets or stones.

That night Pat Miller, Nick, and myself give a party in the Club lounge. We invite the Mess, Purcell, Nelson, Pearse, Gordon, Dunkerton, Valentine, Seaward, Wellwood and Gillan. A very successful party. The first lad comes about 7.20pm and then we walk out on Gordon and Wellwood at 10pm. Everyone said it was very original and that Razmak had never seen the like before.

Yesterday I ran the bloody mile and got 11/20. Also a sore throat from coughing so much when I got back. Nick and I had drinks with Walter Purcell, and were then dined out. I reckon I consumed about 2 1/2 bottles of beer, two gins, two madeiras, a whisky and a sherry, and didn’t turn a hair. Got to bed at 12.30pm and up at 6am with “dawn patrol”. A good party last night. Col. Weld was there and I made his acquaintance officially. I hear a platoon of scouts met 100 dushmen on Bare Patch the other day, and that the enemy told them to “bugger off, we don’t fire at you” – and they did too!