Wednesday 18th October 1939

A picture of today:- Rainy morning. Miserable with our capes and wet trousers from knee to ankle, Pond and I adjourned to my billets. We struggled damply up to the attic (this was between breakfast and second parade) and found Tiny Jennings still in bed. Later Stan Ling also appeared – water oozing from every pore – and the attic was now full of damp soldiers.

Jennings held levee from his bed, Ling tinkered with Underhill’s’ wireless set, Sid Pond read the paper, I polished buttons; we all smoked. At 8:50 the three lance-snakes left for parade. Jennings (these RHQ blighters!) was still in bed when we went.