I spent a very cold night in a canvas house, as there was a heavy frost. I never got my feet warm all night. I had a look round in the morning and found we are nearly 4000 yards behind the Bosch - or ,rather, in front of - front-line trench. The gun pits seem very weak and I think a pipsqueak would blow most of them over but, as we are so far back, I suppose it was never considered necessary to build stronger ones. The Mess is in a farm about 20 yards to the rear of the guns and seems quite comfortable, although its surroundings are filthier than the last Mess, if possible. In one of the outhouses there is a treadmill on which an unfortunate dog has to keep walking. He is tied there on a chain and it is really funny to see him endlessly walking on this wheel. Whenever he stops they turn the wheel inside. I think he churns the butter or does something like that. The aeroplanes were very active after breakfast this morning and some of our machines attacked but did not seem to affect the Bosch though it was quite interesting to see the machines manoeuvring for position. Of course, Boschey, as usual, seemed to run rings round our machines.
Mmm ... this seems confusing. He cannot mean that they are behind enemy lines. Maybe just more forward than his other position.
ReplyDeleteI pity that poor dog, although am pleased it is not a human doing the trudging. He does admire the German artillery skill, doesn't he?
I think he just got in a muddle and then corrected himself. I suppose the dog was happier than all the poor neglected barkers in my neighbourhood are - they never get to walk at all, not even in a circle.
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