I spent a month in this town, in No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station. The weather was extremely hot, and the wards small and stuffy. At first I was very ill indeed, being in a critical condition, and receiving frequent injections. A visit from my father, however, greatly cheered me up, and everybody showered kindness on me. The Staff were terribly overworked, as the wounded and gassed cases were pouring in from the great battle, which was still raging, and the issue of which was so doubtful that we hardly knew if Hazebrouck would continue to be safe. I was much troubled by an incessant cough, and suffered a great deal of pain. Nevertheless I made progress, and must pay a high tribute to the kindness and devotion shown on all sides, by doctors, nurses, orderlies, and military chaplains. The orderlies were as gentle as angels and would sit for hours at my bedside. There was one lad of about seventeen, Private McIntyre, of Glasgow, who used to spend practically whole nights procuring me milk etc. General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien came and visited me, and greatly pleased and cheered me by saying how well we had all done. Colonel Rutherford, R.A.M.C., of our Division, and my cousin Major-General Stopford also came and saw me, and the latter was most kind in procuring me various things. The Senior Chaplain, Archdeacon Southwell, was most thoughtful, and a kinder man it would be hard to find. He would write letters for me, and when I got a bit better I much amused him by dictating a letter to Monsieur Albin in French. He richly deserves the C.M.G. which he has been awarded. For a time I had a young Belgian R.A.M.C. officer as my companion, who had suffered from a concussion, apparently by a fall from his horse. He spoke hardly any English, and feeble as my voice was I had often to try to do the necessary interpreting on his behalf. He thought I was a French officer, and had to be assured that I was not! Parcels and letters from home were a source of delight to me. After about a month I was able to be moved to No. 7 Stationary Hospital at Boulogne, where I remained till June 25. Again I became very ill, as blood-poisoning supervened and nearly ended my life. I had an operation to get the empyema out of my chest, and another one to draw the abscess which formed on my leg and which fortunately collected and threw off the septicæmia. I was one of the lucky 25 per cent. who recover from this terrible form of blood-poisoning. I was much cheered, however, by the presence of my father, who remained at the French port for about three weeks, and brought me much fruit, strawberries being my especial favourite.