Rev. Rupert Inglis 175 



pieces whenever he was short of food, which is to be expected of 

 a boy who is growing, 



" In one mental deficiency ward we have a very fine and 

 large fat nurse. Yesterday one of the patients looked at her 

 steadily and in astonishment for some time, and then said, 

 ' Am I dreaming, or do my eyes magnify ? ' " 



August 15. — " We have had a great many deaths this 

 week ; there is a boy I am very fond of wounded in twenty- 

 seven places, and, as so often happens, one of the wounds showed 

 signs of poisoning and I am afraid he cannot live. 



" I find all the doctors and nurses very nice to me, and they 

 take a lot of trouble to let me know if any of the men are very ill. 



" Besides my canteen, I have been asked to organise a large 

 tea and bovril stall. All the water, fuel, and oil has to be 

 carried about two and a half miles ; as everybody is very busy 

 I may not be able to get a water-cart, but I am going to try. 



" I am rather like you knitting in a game of bridge, for I am 

 writing in the middle of a game of picquet, while my opponent 

 is discussing military matters. 



" This morning ' Sigs ' ^ and I climbed up in the church 

 tower, from which we got quite a good view of the surrounding 

 country and could look into the German trenches. We then 

 explored the bottom of the church. When we first came to the 

 village (which we have now left) someone hit a stone near the 

 door and it sounded hollow, so they pulled it up and found a 

 passage going down about two hundred feet, winding round and 

 round. The air was very foul ; they could not get in for some 

 time, but now it is all right. At the bottom of the two hundred 

 feet there are a lot of biggish caves, large enough to hold a 

 battalion. It is now used as a dug-out if the village is being 

 shelled. 



" Our mess is a public-house in the main road, and it is quite 

 as noisy as Piccadilly at its worst." 



August 19. — " That nice boy I told you about died. 

 Another boy, Crutchfield, is a little better to-day ; he is only 

 sixteen. I was in his ward as the doctor was going to dress his 

 wounds. He asked me to stay with him, and as the doctor had 

 no objection I did ; it took just one hour and five minutes. How 



1 Signalling officer. 



