There was a 'ot bath there and we were put to bed in a big 'ouse,
blankets, plenty of them and a good bed. 'Twas a grand place to kip
in. Bad as I was, I noticed that."
"No stand-to at dawn?" I said.
"Two 'ours before dawn we 'ad to stand-to in our blankets, matey,"
said Bill. "The Germans began to shell the blurry place and 'twas up
to us to 'op it. We went dozens of us to the rear in a 'bus. Shook us!
We were rattled about like tins on cats' tails and dumped down at
another 'orsp about breakfast time. My tempratoor was up more (p. 275)
than ever there; I almost burst the thremometur. And Ted! Blimey, yer
should 'ave seen Ted! Lost to the wide, 'e was. 'E could 'ardly speak;
but 'e managed to give me his mother's address and I was to write 'ome
a long letter to 'er when 'e went West."
"Allowed to 'ave peace in that place! No fear; the Boches began to
shell us, and they sent over fifty shells in 'arf an 'our. All troops
were ordered to leave the town and we went with the rest to a 'orsp
under canvas in X----.
"A nice quiet place X---- was, me and Ted was along with two others in
a bell-tent and 'ere we began to get better. Our clothes were taken
from us, all my stuff and two packets of fags and put into a locker. I
don't know what I was thinking of when I let the fags go. There was
one feller as had two francs in his trousers' pocket when 'e gave 'is
trousers in and 'e got the wrong trousers back. 'E discovered that one
day when 'e was goin' to send the R.
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