We have been treated to a thunderstorm and have received one orange (and eaten it – the orange not the thunderstorm). Today being payday, the Crown and Anchorites are popping up like garrulous mushrooms (have you ever seen one?) bent on securing some of the shekles. “Any more for any more”? “You pick ‘em and I pay – where you like and when you fancy. And the old man has a skinner for dinner. Away we go to war again. And the old man spits blood!”
A bit of humour at the expense of the Tommy artillery bivouacked in an open field behind us. When advising us of our rendezvous in case of shelling, our O.C. remarked “I don’t anticipate any shelling, but our friends over the way seem to have successfully camouflaged their establishment to look exactly like a Camp.”
It was there a man was given “Field punishment No. 1” i.e. spread-eagled on a gun wheel. Our chaps went over and untied him and so “put the breeze up” the Sgt.-Major that the act was not repeated.
A rather nice brand of ‘bully’ is called “Fray Bentos”. The men has seized upon the words as an expression of satisfaction, e.g. “How did you like such and such?” (answer) “Oh Fray Bentos”. The words of General Russell good: “The dawn is already breaking in the East. May you see the Southern Cross next year.” Have only recently known that Rodin is dead; what a loss! This has been my page of oddments. Oh that we two were maying!
[Image: A circle of World War I New Zealand soldiers watch a game of Two-up at their camp in Louvencourt. Photograph taken 30 April 1918 by Henry Armytage Sanders. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. Ref: 1/2-013163-G]
Walk March 