English cigarettes and chocolates, and at the same time have
a good tea and a jolly evening. A toast to the Y.M. should
always be drunk in hot tea, for supplying it to us in
France. It's one of the chief blessings the Association
confers on the army."

The battalion was soon in huts some way behind the firing line.

Sydney Baxter writes to one of his friends in the office:

"Glad to hear everything is O.K., and that you are still
smiling. Thank God for that. Whatever happens, still keep
smiling. The greatest tonic out here is to know the girls
are working so hard, and all the time willingly and
smilingly. We know you all miss the boys as they do you, and
to read that our friends at home are enjoying themselves is
enjoyment to us. We are out to have the harder tasks, and we
want you all at home to have the benefits. That's why we
feel so bitter against the Air Raids.

"Well now, I am glad to write the usual formula. I am very
fit and well, and not having such a bad time; things are
fairly quiet this side, but not for long, I hope. Everyone
is expecting a move and looking forward to it in the sense
that it will help to finish the war.

"We have had much rain the last few days, and, as these tiny
huts we're in are not waterproof, we wake up in the morning
soaked and lying in puddles. It's the limit, I can tell you.
However, we are on active service and so are not afraid of