Tuesday 21st January 1941

4:45a.m. Once more in an exchange dugout, 2 foot deep, roofed and sand bagged. The usual hellish hard work and bitter coldness and all the horrors of setting up an exchange in the darkness 3600 yards from the Iti lines, before this state of efficient luxury was obtained.

We had some shelling (pretty close) as we arrived. a welcome! Ah well, the barrage begins in less than an hour – then it will be our turn. God! I'm sleepy. Guess I'll have forty winks before then. Sid will take over; at present he is huddled beside me, sleeping peacefully. A perfect summer's evening when we formed up to leave the bivouac area at 6p.m. And the traditional end of a perfect day, we all agreed.