From our arrival at Fives till the Armistice we were busy enough. First of all there were the billets to be seen to, which, good as they were, still required much attention. Then the general question of refitting and training had to be considered. It was still quite uncertain whether the enemy would come to terms or not; and it was understood that if he did not we should certainly be required before long. Meanwhile a sudden passion for lecturing took possession of the Higher Command, including General Haking, our Corps Commander, who addressed us at some length.
On November 5th we had the first of a series of battalion concerts. There was a most convenient little hall not far from our billets, and here "The Cheerios" gave their performance—and an excellent one it was. It was at Barly, during the rest in the Cambrai Battle, that the concert party were first got together, and now they were to exhibit their powers once more. They worked very hard, under the kindly eye of the Padre, and the resulting success more than justified their efforts. Without wishing to make invidious distinctions, it may be said that Corporal Henderson was the heart and soul of the party, while his singing of Chevalier's songs was absolutely first-rate. The introduction of local talent, in the form of an enfant prodigue who played the violin, and a French girl who sang with great vigour proved highly popular.
On November 6th our American Medical Officer, Lieutenant Reed, left us, to our infinite regret. Dour and silent as he was, he had won a very warm place in our hearts; and it is pleasant to think that he was sorry enough to leave us after more than six months' active campaigning together. Captain Bullock took his place, and proved in his turn a most popular Medical Officer.
Football now began to figure prominently in our lives. The great aerodrome, where we halted outside Flers the day after Lille was taken, had been converted into one vast football field, with some seven or eight pitches. Incidentally, it was also our training ground, and a little friction was occasionally caused when other battalions used to allow their battalion teams to practise all the morning in our vicinity while we were drilling.
The last few days before the Armistice were somewhat trying. It was impossible to keep your thoughts away from the possible termination of hostilities and all that that involved. The authorities, with what seemed a rather unnecessary lack of confidence in their troops, deluged us with advice to maintain our morale. In point of fact, there appeared no shred of evidence that anyone was in danger of losing his morale, or, for the matter of that, any particular reason why he should, even though one might be glad if the war was really over.
When the telegram reached us on November 11th there was no excitement, no wild cheering or parading of the streets. It was too big a thing to treat in that fashion. Men became silent and thoughtful—thankful for their own escape, reminiscent of those less fortunate. Lille itself, unlike London, did not become a scene of rowdy rejoicings. Thankfulness for deliverance from the infernal horrors of the war, with its all too recent and sad memories, was too deep for a form of celebration more properly associated with Boat Race night in Leicester Square or a "rag" in a 'Varsity town.
CHAPTER X
ARMISTICE—LILLE—ARRAS—FINALE
With the cessation of hostilities began what was really the most difficult period of the war. Training, always irksome, had now lost its one stimulus—the prospect of battle. No one supposed for a moment that hostilities could ever be resumed. The question of demobilization immediately sprang to the front; and though most men realized clearly enough that the delay would necessarily be long, yet it was impossible not to chafe a little, and to feel that at the best you were merely killing time. It was evident from the outset that everything possible must be done to prevent boredom and stagnation. Training could clearly be reduced to a minimum, and that only retained which would insure fresh air and exercise. Athletics and amusements could now be freely cultivated, as men could be spared more generously than during hostilities. Education was also likely to be of great assistance in occupying the men's minds and assisting them to restore their thinking powers, which in many cases soldiering had greatly weakened. Unfortunately, no preparations for the commencement of this form of occupation had been possible, and it was not till the battalion reached Arras that our arrangements were sufficiently advanced to commence operations.