brisk at the present crucial stage of the great battle.

The first feelings of revulsion having been mastered, I determined to
make the most of my opportunities, as I have always felt that the naval
officer is at a great disadvantage in war as compared with his
military brother, in that he but rarely has a chance of accustoming
himself to the unpleasant spectacle of torn flesh and bones.

This morning there was no lack of material, and many of the intestinal
wounds were peculiarly revolting, so that at lunch-time, when another
convenient lull in the torrent of shell fire enabled me to leave the
cellar, I felt thoroughly hardened; in fact I had assisted in a humble
degree at one or two operations.

I had lunch at the 11th Army Medical Headquarters Mess, and it was a
sumptuous meal to which I did full justice.

After lunch, whilst waiting to be motored to a field hospital, I
happened to see a battalion of Silesian troops about to go up to the
front line.

It was rather curious feeling that one was looking at men, each in
himself a unit of civilization, and yet many of whom were about to die
in the interests thereof.

Their faces were an interesting study.

Some looked careless and debonair, and seemed to swing past with a
touch of recklessness in their stride, others were grave and serious,
and seemed almost to plod forward to the dictates of an inevitable