Our Despatches from the Front (No. 91).
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Work at the Base Where Only the Building-up is in Evidence.
B.E.F:, May, 1916. (Continued.) • The boys were in good form, and jest rapidly followed jest and song followed song. Our sergeant, in the chair, proved the best of good fellows socially—as he was regimentally—and his cheery face alone was good to see, and the general good feeling sauced all the jokes. Alas ! time made a quick finish, and we called the good dame in and made her a speech of thanks and sang the " Marseillaise." Meantime. the neighbours had crowded in and appreciated much the grace of the compliments.
A Good Dinner and a Sober Homegoing.
What of the settlement ? Twenty el us sat down to a dinner worth hall-a-guinea, and, including the wine and cigars, the total cost was 40 francs, and the old dame was urbanity itself as we paid. her and then marched home in the moonlight all sober and singing lustily with the voices of well-fed men on good terms with such a good world. There was no aftermath to the celebration of our victory, and it was the jolliest dinner I have ever experienced.
"We Want to go Home."
The next morning a Plane appeared and put the wind up us by dropping bombs near. They must have heard of us. The night before we had plagiarized the song, " We Want to Go Home ! " into •" We Don't Want to Go Home ! " Needless to say we soon altered our minds again.
Whilst we were working on the cars, the drivers of the others would pull our legs. We smiled and held our tongues. We guessed that their turn would come. It did. They had to do the same work without the spice of competition, and, with clean faces and hands in our ponkets, we enjoyed our laugh at them. One little feature worth mentioning was the re,,sult of all of this.
Renovations Make the Vehicles Appear New. •
People or, rather, newly-arrived regiments would persist in taking our cars for brand new amd recently-arrived ones--all, as I have said, had been renovated after the show to match the prize cars—and this was gall and wormwood to we warworn warriors. A few days, before we were at the battle of Loos, another lot were patronizing, telling us what it was like up at the Front. We listened admiringly for some time, and politely asked them when they eame out. " June ! " said they. "Oh ! you were too late„ then, for the May battles we -woke in," said we. They retired hurt, and we called after them the usual phrase before you came up," which is the most derisive thing that can be said at the Front, and, luckily for las, could only bG said by the few who were out from the first.
FLANDERS, May, 1916.
The evidences of war have vanished: at least for me. I am at the base now, where only the building-up is evident. Peace . as far as the absence of destruction is concerned is here: industry only surrounds one everywhere. A Number and a Name.
One enters a liquid mass of humanity—always flowing out to the front and ebbing back again. No longer is one a conscious member of a, unit ; one is a number and a name. After being so long with a unit, it seems like being turned out into the world again without a home among Strange and unsympathetic faces, lacking the friendly nod to which one is accustomed. Few realize why, but this is the root of the reason why we are all grousers on some days. New harness galls at first, and so does one's new environment and work.:
The ,morning after we arrived we were hustled into a lorry for conveyance to a hospital for disinfection and a bath. The sun was brilliant and we had to climb a steep gradient, all the time getting a brillia,nt,panorama of the town and cathedral, the whole providing i a whiteness and cleanliness that s agreeable to one's eyes, which have become so accustomed to the disorder at the front.
A Good Bathe and a Keener Appetite.
A most agreeable run and we arrived at the hospital. We bathe and then dress in patients..clothes, whilst our clothes are put under steam heat. When they have been treated we dress in the open and prepare for the " joy ride" back to dinner, with appetites made keener by the fine air of our surroundings. One hears tales from all parts of the line as we travel down the hill again, past the suburban residences, well kept andof pleasing architecture.
At night there is the, parade at 8.50 p.m. All turn out and take up
their positions with the sections to which they have been assigned. Two arc lamps light the scene as the roll is caned over. Each night is an entertainment. One section sergeant of jolly countenance has a voice of wonderful calibre and timbre, one that was made for humorous imitation, and the matter he voices never fails to amuse and draw jests along the line. The depot would be a sorrier place if he were missing.
Three Hundred Room-mates.
We newcomers are put in a lofty and large room over the stores. It is very large, and about a00 men are sleeping there, and the hum of conversation when turning in is not at all unpleasant. Anyway, we sleep well and with fresh comrades almost every night. All "the talk is shop, of when one arrived, what section one is in, the days run and to what part of the line, what the school is like, and a general desire to know the /A:1es on the part of i fresh arrivals ; .e., all about the routine of the life and What to anticipate.
Varied Nature of Our Duties.
We turn out early in. the morning, and on assembling for parade the various fatigue parties are picked out. One has a curious sense of being behind the scenes. One day in the accessories stores ; another day unpacking goods received from England, another day unloading the goods at the docks for motor lorries to take to the base depot. Then a change at whitewashing fences; followed by loading the packed goods for other bases up or down country.It is here that the spares are distributed and also where the breakages are repaired or replaced. Some of the vehicles themselves are also brought in for repair and overhaul. It is a huge workshop and store combined and the wheels all working smoothly prevent one realizing, if unimaginative, that this is the central pivot on which our wonderful motor service revolves.
Another Family.
From material to men. Sitting under a verandah are the men with packed kits, who are going up the line to be received into another family. They are happy to be again off to regain their personality and lose the hopelessness of being a mere name and number. Some do not 'stay long enough to do more than find the canteen and have a night's rest. , Tires on a Captured Prize.
I was on a dock fatigue, when the news came of the Dublin rebellion. The ship that was in process of being unloaded—I was one of a queue who were wheeling • lorry tires from one to another, as they were unloaded—was one that was a, captured prize. I bought a paper and a naval officer leaning over shouted for news. I replied and then ran up the landing stage and sold him the paper • so interested was he to get full details.
The Dublin Rebellion and the Price of Our Biscuits.
We were mostly interested because of the possible stoppage of canteen supplies of penny packets of biscuits. These came from "Jacobs," of Dublin, and the rebels had seized our biscuits. It was a serious reverse, and we have cursed the rebels long and oft as we laid down fourpeace before being able to buy our usual luxury, including tea, for a penny. Americans, Canadians, and Australians are always in evidence. They are a breezy lot of men, and one has a sense of relief from the monotony of the usual conversation when talking to these fellows. We exchange ideas and find boon companions ,(To be continued.)