Morning, 10 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., out with working party. H. called for few minutes, 2 p.m. Lecture on arms and care of rifles, etc., 4 p.m. Met H. at Lion d’Or in B. at 4.45 (splendid being able to do this). Tea, long chat and theatre at six o’clock. Panto., _Alladin_. Really tip-top, although men were disguised as girls. Plenty of fun and laughter. Sent in an application to-day for post as observer in R.F.C. Have great hopes. Life consists mainly of latter nowadays. _Jan. 8th._ Working party repairing trenches 9.30 to 1.30. Lovely morning. Two p.m., lecture in field on use of rifle--old as the hills (lecture); but I suppose they must work on the motto, “Anything to keep the time employed.” _Sunday, Jan. 9th._ Marched to trenches (same place as Dec. 15). Beautiful day and everything quiet--not a day for war at all. On nearing the line the noise of guns and bursting shells broke on our ears, increasing in sound as we drew nearer, until we got as per usual in amongst them. Had to go in single file at intervals up the infernal road. No one hit. Got in the same old corner, and found to our relief the trenches had been built up again passably well after the bombardment of the night of Dec. 22. _Jan. 10th and 11th._ Contrary to expectations had two quiet days--of course, the usual few shells, but no great quantity. My platoon occupied the trench on left of company, instead of, as last time, close up on the right, 1000 yards from enemy. Relieved at 8 p.m. on 11th, and we came back to the old keep (---- Farm). Everything very quiet all night, and enjoyed a good sleep on a stretcher in one of the cellars, despite the attentions of rats in plenty. _Jan. 12th._ Quiet walk up to Headquarters for breakfast and back. Enemy began shelling roadway close by, and everything else within reach, at 11.20; still going on at time of writing, 12.45. When shall I be able to go up for lunch? Got there intact. _Jan. 13th._ Quiet day. Went back to front line at 7 p.m. for a further forty-eight hours. Quiet night. _Jan. 14th._ Found in the morning that in addition to the usual bombs, grenades and shells we had a trench mortar opposite us, which kept lobbing big black objects over all day, burying men and knocking our trenches to pieces. There was not much else they could use on us now; but we gave them back two for every one we received, and at 2 p.m. we commenced a big “strafe” with rifle-grenades, bombs and mortars. It was good to see them bursting, and altogether we expended over 800 (!) in an hour. We got all manner of things back, from a bullet to a 6-inch. The latter were falling 100 yards from the rear of our breastworks, and we could actually see them falling the last fifty feet or so. All quiet by 4 p.m. Quiet night--far different to our expectations. _Jan. 15th._