Still back in rest , Sherriff had time to send two letters home today, despite the heavy workload. As he told Pips: ‘There is a lot for us to do – besides looking after the training of our Platoons we have to attend numerous conferences etc by the Colonel – still, however hard we work, it is preferable to the line.’

He told his mother that the weather was absolutely perfect, and that he was sitting in the Mess writing his letter on one of the finest evenings of the year. Earlier in the day he and the other officers had been taken in a cart to see the Army Corps Commander, who had taken the trouble to talk to each of them individually, and ask them a few questions: Sherriff ‘had a nice time’.

He told Pips that the organisation of sports was well in hand: ‘football competitions every evening (‘I know very little about football,’ he told his mother, ‘but it is best to take an interest in it.’) and there are some sports on Saturday  – 100 yards, Relay Races etc – quite an imposing programme’, but he recognised that ‘there is always that shadow of “pack up and move in an hour’s time” hanging about. I sincerely hope the men are here for some period though.’

The men were very happy, holding improvised sing-songs every night, and enjoying their billets in the barns which, provided with straw and blankets, and with the fine weather arriving, were not as cold as their previous accommodations. And perhaps the fine weather was the reason he was not feeling his neuralgia so much. He was glad to be out for a rest for a little while, and hoped it would be at least a few weeks before they went back into the line.

[Next letter: 5 May]