Winter in the Camp: War Diary of Alfred Herbert John Andrews
It was rumored that the division was leaving for France and there was a rush to get into the units who were going. I tried to get into the 90th and at one time it looked as if I would make it but the orders were changed. I then tried to get into the 16th but without any better luck.
The nights were cold and our tents leaked. Many a night I shivered till I almost cried with the cold. We had palliasses issued to us. Instead of filling them with straw, we wrapped ourselves in our blankets and got inside the palliasse. It helped keep the water off and kept the bed clothes round us. We got a stove and as the Q.M. issued oil we were able to keep warm at nights. Up to this time I was very miserable. On Feb 18 there was great excitement in camp. We were told to write our final letters as we expected to move. That surely meant France and that was what we wanted--at that time. We didn't get any pay and as we were all "broke" there was nothing to do but sleep when off duty. Finally on Feb 22 we got paid. It snowed heavily and we all got wet feet. However we were able to have a snow fight with some of the others in camp. The weather turned very clear and very cold. The oil stoves didn't seem to heat up the leaky tents. Where the rain came in before, now the cold entered. McConnaghy decided the best thing to do was to fill a basin with oil and light it. It was a failure. We almost lost our tent as a result. We were soon put on a schedule of training--first a route march through a snow storm--then each morning we had to go for a run before breakfast--football was encouraged. On March 16 we took a route march to Herne Bay and back. I was pretty chafed when I returned. In fact that was one thing I had to contend with all through the war. My feet didn't bother me but my clothes rubbed me raw. We were still getting snow, rain and fine weather mixed but the snow had the most call.