On
the way we met another regiment coming up to fill our place, to sleep
in our bell-tents, pick from the socks which we had left behind, and
to meet for once, the first and last time perhaps, a quartermaster who
is really kind in the discharge of his professional duties. We marched
off, and sang our way into the town and station. Our trucks were
already waiting, an endless number they seemed lined up in the siding
with an engine in front and rear, and the notice "Hommes 40 chevaux
20" in white letters on every door. The night before I had slept in a
bell-tent where a man's head pointed to each seam in the canvas,
to-night it seemed as if I should sleep, if that were possible, in a
still more crowded place, where we had now barely standing room, and
where it was difficult to move about. But a much-desired relief came
before the train started, spare waggons were shunted on, and a number
of men were taken from each compartment and given room elsewhere. (p. 025)
In fact, when we moved off we had only twenty-two soldiers in our
place, quite enough though when our equipment, pack, rifle, bayonet,
haversack, overcoat, and sheepskin tunic were taken into account.
A bale of hay bound with wire was given to us for bedding, and
bully-beef, slightly flavoured, and biscuits were doled out for
rations. Some of us bought oranges, which were very dear, and paid
three halfpence apiece for them; chocolate was also obtained, and one
or two adventurous spirits stole out to the street, contrary to
orders, and bought _cafe au lait_ and _pain et beurre_, drank the
first in the _estaminet_, and came back to their trucks munching the
latter.
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