[Prouville]

Went all round billets this a.m. Long straggling village. Men’s billets quite good, officers’ poor. Our mess only one room and small right at the end of village. My room and Cather’s, the only other rooms available, both entered through the kitchen and scullery, but quite nice rooms, and comfy beds. Today drizzly. Muddy streets. Douglas Haig was to have come to have seen us tomorrow, but isn’t. Got in here last night at 8.15 p.m. after a very good run from Boulogne, about 110 kilos [kilometres] good road, but dark. They have cut down the hay ration from 12 lbs to 6 lbs, which is of course starvation. I suppose it is an iron necessity, but it will mean loss in horse flesh.

Great dearth of coal and wood, don’t know what we shall do for fuel for cookers. A wonderful hutment scheme has come in by which existing accommodation is to be doubled by repairing and building, to be done by troops.