TheCompleteMemoirsOfGeorgeSherston

Friday I took the Company to fire on the range;
eight miles each way; out 7.30 to 6. Fired five rounds
myself; a bull's-eye, two inners, and a magpie were
dully signalled. My private opinion is that I never hit
the target at all, and I rather think the Sergeant-
Major winked at me when handing me the rifle!

Yesterday we paraded at 6 a.m. and went seven
miles to take part in a Brigade Field Day. Back at
4.30. Th^ men's feet are very much knocked about
and boots getting bad, I keep on worrying the Quar-
termaster about it, but he can do nothing except
"indent" for boots which never arrive. Morale of
Company very good, in spite of being put through
it so intensively. Only three have gone on leave since
we got to France. One goes next week; and the rest
are hoping.

This morning at 8,30 I was shaving (up before 5
the last two days). Below my window a voluntary
service was in progress, and about 20 voices struck up
dolefully with "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds".
It seemed funny, somehow—Jesus being a name which
crops up fairly often on Brigade Field Days and else-
where! Later on the Padre was preaching about the
"spiritual experiences of the righteous".

After breakfast I sat under the apple-blossom be-
hind our Mess and read a Homeric Ode to Hermes
(not in Greek). It felt a great relief after a week of
incessant toil over small details. But it was only a
half-hour's respite from being worried by the Orderly
Room. Anyhow I feel strong and confident in the
security of a sort of St. Martin's Summer of Happy-
Warriorism. We are now on G.H.Q,. Reserve and
liable to move at 24-hour5 s notice.

After a hasty lunch I spent ij hours at a "Company
Officer's Conference" and listened to a lecture on
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