"In the afternoon I went with the Company on a bathing parade. It was about half an hour's march. They bathed in a canal.
"After tea I had a stroll in the country: it is very pretty, especially this weather....
"Captain Andrews goes home on leave to-night; so Lieutenant Halstead is in command of B Company for a fortnight."
"June 15th.
"The weather continues hot. We had another Battalion parade this morning: procedure the same as yesterday. The Colonel is still most agreeable; he has not said a cross word to me yet.
"We took the afternoon easy, except that there was a parade for inspection of equipment at 4 p.m.
"I received, this afternoon, a letter from you of June 11, and one from Mother of June 10, also enclosures. I am sorry to learn that you are both worrying. What's the use of worrying? What is there to worry about? I am quite safe. If I had the 'wind up' it might be another matter; but I do not, strange to say, even dread the time when we shall go back into the line! I think it rather exciting. One is inclined to feel a little 'windy' when shells and 'minnies' are bursting dangerously near, or when a machine-gun spurts out of the gloaming; but there is a certain element of excitement about it all. I would not have missed those few days in the Salient for worlds. I had a pleasant 'baptism of fire' there. Everybody seems to think that it was worse than going over the top in a push. Those who fought at the Battle of the Somme last year say that they would rather be there than in the place where we were last week! Candidly, I cannot understand it.
"We shall remain out of the line for some time yet—so cheer up!"