there's a shell! but this is still the slowest-moving plot ever

He can just imagine Cuthbertson's joking comments about his wanting to fraternize with the common man. He misses Cuthbertson, but his company stayed behind, in reserves, at division headquarters, and Bradford isn't sure when they'll see each other again. He knows that eventually his company will be relieved and sent back to HQ to rest, but whether or not Cuthberson's company moves up the line out here in exchange, he doesn't know.

Until then he fills in his war diary with a lot of "Enemy quiet" or "Quiet day" entries and makes more detailed entries in his personal diary. The war diary has no space – and is not intended – for personal remarks about the men or their work or how Armstrong feels about them, but that's why he has another outlet. It's just a small notebook that Amelia gave him before he left London, but especially now that he doesn't have Cuthbertson to talk to, it's very helpful as a place to put his thoughts. He likes Armstrong well enough, but the man is kind of his subordinate, and as grateful as Bradford is for his assistance the first couple of days they were in Amiens and especially their first day in the front-line trench, he doesn't want to let the guy in on the fact that he's still a little worried about commanding a hundred and seventy men. Every so often Bradford still looks at them and thinks They're just boys.

( And if nothing else, writing in his diary helps pass the time. )

words: 2114
total words: 11,994
note: i apologize for the giant chunk of italicized text that is bradford's letter to his sister. and it's entirely possible that a regiment on its way anywhere in the middle of the night might have some lights with it. possibly.

things start to happen, ooh. also, it's now july

"It was pretty boring, in fact." Bradford picks at his bacon. It's nice and hot, not too fatty, but he really wants to go back to bed. Too much sudden excitement last night and too little sleep to follow it. "My war diary has a lot of entries reading 'Quiet day', 'Enemy quiet', 'One rocket flare tonight but otherwise quiet.' I made a lot of inspections and wrote some letters."

"Well, we should see some action soon. I hear we may be part of a major offensive in the next month or so. Push the German line back."

"Is that what you did while I was in the trenches? Discuss strategy?"

"Not so much, or at least not that I got to be part of. Ellis makes his plans and then lets us know."

Ellis is the division commander. Bradford has only met him once, but he has a reputation among the officers as a stickler for regulations, sometimes to the exclusion of common sense. The company commanders generally get their orders from the battalion commander, Lt Colonel Berridge, and not usually from the divisional CO.

"I did spend some time with the company COs from the 53rd," Cuthbertson goes on. "Good chaps. Don't know any more than I do." He drains his tea. "Come on, inspection awaits."

( The men of C Company look reasonably well rested )

words: 2149
total words: 14,143
note: we have a combination of actual research and a certain amount of making shit up. as per usual. :D i'm pretty sure i have the 18th division in the right place, tho, because they really were involved the first day of the battle of the somme.