July 16th, 1915.

I'm lying down in my bivouac writing by candle light. The Major has come back so I'm back with the old nags again. It is raining a little now but we needed some so "I should worry". Lately the horses have had to go 2 miles for water and this rain may shorten the trip. I have just come back from supper at the guns where I dissected Mac's periscope and cleaned the lenses. I got it together without having any screws left over which is correct. I rode home on the bicycle and a fine ride it was too. Just twilight, and the trees standing out like big sentries along the road. Today I slept in and rode down to breakfast after my shave. Then I went down to a place near here and had a peach of a bath in good hot water. I dressed in my new serge and breeches and rode back to lunch. This afternoon I wrote a letter, saw the horses watered and fed and opened my new hat. You see my other kit was getting a bit the worse for wear as I have lived in it, awake and asleep for about five months. But it is good stuff and still in the running. Then I went down on the bike to supper, not the motor cycle, I lost that among other things at Ypres on the 22nd.

Yesterday I was out in the trenches as F.O.O. I went out the night before had a quiet night and day without even getting a periscope "bust". I think the sniper must have taken a day off. On the way back they set the big beautiful church in a town near here, on fire. I watched the glowing ruins all the way home to the waggon line. Then after thinking over things in general I fell asleep.

I met Everett B. in the trenches and had a long chat with him. He is Brigade Machine gun officer. I also saw Buck P- and Bill A- (the latter you would not know). I have postponed my leave and let Mac go. He is getting married to Miss Perkin.