"'Agrippa,' thinking he was being disparaged, flew at Barber and struck him violently two or three times in the face. One of our sergeants, named Morley, remonstrated, and in a second 'Agrippa' had struck him two or three times in the face....
"I don't know what you would think of one and a half spoonfuls of jam, or grease, or preserved meat, or half an uncooked herring for the only thing to eat daily in addition to dry bread and a bowl of soup at midday, but such are our rations, and I can tell you that by now one has got to look forward to the day's issue as a very big thing....
"The first 'tying up' shows him, the sergeant-major, at his best as a wise judge, jury, and executioner.... The method of tying up was as follows: In the garden behind our barn were some trees. The man had to stand with his feet close together and his back to the tree; he was then tied to the tree by a strap round the ankles.
"His hands were tied together behind his back and the strap passed round the tree. The third strap was the worst; it was tied round the man's neck, and tied tightly round the tree, so that the back of the man's head was against the tree.
"Of course, a good deal depended upon the guard—some guards would tie all the straps lightly, some would tie some men tight and others loose, and so on. The most popular tree for tying men up to was not straight, so that being tied up tightly to it was no joke, as I can vouch for....
"A favourite pastime of the sergeant-major was to come and watch the men at work. Then, indeed, did everyone buck up.... On one occasion I saw him mercilessly belabour an Australian boy with his stick. The boy had not been able to respond quickly enough to his order.
"Well, it is six months to-morrow since I had an English meal. (This is written in hospital.) The last three days I have tried the tip of having a drink of coffee at breakfast-time, and having my breakfast between 8.30 and 10, but I don't know that it is any better. Strange are the ways of this hospital—no soap and no clean bedding since I came in.
"Sometimes peace and go as you please, sometimes every little rule fussed about. Clothes and food are not in any way satisfactory, but one is getting a rest, and that is what one should remember.... Suspense. Waiting with, oh, how many hopes and fears, for that parcel to turn up. Hungrier and hungrier, and with the dread of tobacco running out...."
Then in conclusion comes a pathetic little personal note.
"I have never read this through since I returned in December, 1918. Seeing the mention of Bull a few pages back reminds me that I afterwards heard he had died in hospital. I wrote to his wife on my return, and found she was a widow.