Lives of the First World War

known 3rd April 1915

April 3rd. Holy Saturday. A queer Easter this. Church parade followed by a march – very hot and dusty. Footer in the afternoon, Officers vs. Sergeants. April 4th – Easter Day Church parade 10.20 am General indignation because we were told to have sent out another pair of pants and vest. Everybody said: “Couldn’t. Army should supply ‘em”. Just found a half-sovereign in my overcoat pocket. Very strange. April 5th – Easter Monday Farm-life must be exciting. Been imbibing unique knowledge of nocturnal habits of rats and cocks. Cocks, I find – at least French ones – habitually crow at midnight. Wonder if it is natural or it is just cussedness. Last night five of us slept in a line, dressed by the right, against the wall. The rats, twenty of them, dropped from the straw loft on to the rabbit hutch and then to the floor about 1am. Fabian felt them run over his chest: he shouted. Five seconds later they were on mine: I shouted. Corporal Fields was the next victim; and then there were hurried and muffled movements from Evans and Totherby in succession. The enemy then appear to have changed direction right and to have taken up position by Henderson’s head. He made a quick jerk and they evacuated hurriedly, passing over O’Reilly’s chest and entrenched in the corner opposite to the hutch. By this time we were all awake. I was flashing my lamp in all directions; lurid and illuminating language was arising from various points. A this moment a loud squeaking from their position betokened the enemy’s glee at our discomfiture. And then the Great Advance began. Harris with an entrenching tool. I with a bayonet, and Henderson with a boot, approaching the corner. The enemy rushed between me and Henderson and over Empson. Empson rose and said: ‘….’ I replied in suitable terms. Harris made a wild dash at a retreating form and landed with his feet in Cleman’s stomach. Curtain falls on a wild and confused head of men, blankets, cuss-words, and rifles, with the rats chorusing squeaks and gibes from the giddy heights of the rabbit hutch.

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