Diary Entry - 20th December, 1915

A very slow, tiring day, as there was nothing to do and no place to sit, owing to the attachés, who everyone in the Mess is absolutely bored with. A very appropriate speech was made about them by one of our subs: "They are like locusts, they swoop down on the mess and eat everything there is and, at the end of the week, when everything is devoured, they depart", which is very true. This lot have been especially objectionable, as they will keep asking stupid questions and making silly remarks. They are going to take this position over when we go out to rest, and they seem to think they know all about it, without having the front pointed out to them. Talking about going out of action, we shall not get away now until the 13th of January or later. In the evening, after tea, being fed up with the crowd and life in general, Siggers and I strolled off to Beuvry along the road and covered about five miles before dinner. The gas attack was once again postponed, but everyone went to their posts at nine, and they went as far as turning on the gas tap by mistake for about fifteen seconds. Suttie returned from the O.B. at eleven and told us we might go to bed, and we did not lose much time about it.