[The Battalion in reserve at Mesnil and Lieutenant Colonel Blacker on a course of instruction at Flixecourt.]

We had a very interesting day. First went to the flying. Then on to Amiens, a sumptuous lunch, which was very pleasant, then on to camouflage, which was really wonderful. They have some of the very best French sculptors at work there, and the results are, of course, life-like. Trees, graves, and canvas covers for hiding half made trenches. Then hair cut and home by 6.oo p.m., and a lecture. Very cold, N.E. wind, and sleety snow. Simply bitter in the char- à-banc. Riddell in R.B., [The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own)] 2^nd in Command of this school, goes about with us. A very nice fellow. Was an instructor at Sandhurst and goes on Sunday to command 8^th R.B. He was in Germany doing an eye cure on July 29^th, 1914, and managed to get out. The man he was with wouldn’t come with him, and is still there, in prison. He gave us an account of his escape. Verdun seems all right, though they are making another attack. No sign of lack of men or munitions. Amiens is quite a good town, good shops, heaps of French Generals. It seems ages since I came here, but has been very pleasant.