gb0551ms-33-47

Transcription

[Page] 47
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round his neck.

13th Jany. 1918.
Nearly four months have passed since I last wrote in
my Journal. Autumn has given place to winter. the British
summer offensive, carried on into December has
come to an end, and hard weather in France and
Flanders has brought operations to a standstill.
We gained much in the year but not all we hoped
for, thanks largely to the defection of Russia, where
a condition of absolute political chaos has followed
on the Revolution. Meantime the Germans are
endeavouring to patch up a separate peace with
them, and so obtain greater freedom of action in
the West. The submarine warfare still goes on,
and though we believe their powers for evil are checked
they are not yet overcome. We lose some 16 to 18 ships
over 1600 tons each week. It is said that we are now
sinking submarines at an ever increasing rate, and
that we have now reached a point at which we are
sinking them faster than the Germans can turn them
out. Meanwhile the supply of food grows less. Sugar
is already rationed, and you can only get ½ lb [pound] per head
per week from the grocer with whom you are registered.
Voluntary rationing is regularly practised, 2 lbs [pounds] of meat
per head, including bone, 10 oz [ounces] of margarine & fat, to be reduced
to 4 oz [ounces] in Feb. 4½ bread, 12 oz [ounces] cereals, are our
weekly allowances. Butcher meat is decidedly scarce and

we expect to have compulsory rationing shortly. To us
it will probably make little difference in the amount, but
it will mean a proper reduction to those in the working
classes, miners, munition workers etc who are making
huge wages and spending them extravagantly on
food. It is extraordinary what some such people
are making, & spending. A great fat woman whom
I have often seen seated on a lorrie, hatless & with
sleeves turned up, bringing fish supplies up from New:
:haven in the morning as I go to work, paid £700
mostly in cash down for a diamond necklace in
Dowell’s saleroom a few weeks ago. A Tank has
been here all last week gathering in subscriptions for
the War Bonds, and has done tremendously well.
The Tank stood on the East side of the Mound and
the queu of would be investors, albeit the weather, was
unusually cold, sometimes stretched 3 or 4 deep as far as the
Scott Monument. £4,000,000 were subscribed.
I am now a sergeant in the Special Constables, and no
longer go on a beat, but once a week on Friday nights,
and every other Sunday I go out on duty, which is
to visit every man in the Division on his beat. I have
plenty walking as I go from Torphichen St. Station as
far north as Golden Acre, and as far West as the
County boundary in Gorgie. There are usually
13 or 14 men to visit. The “Specials” have been given waterproofs.
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