9th January 1916
Up early. Rather cold morning. Detailed at breakfast for Observation post top of Matterhorn. Accordingly relieved Norton of the Kings Own from that unpleasant job at 9.30am. As usual when taking on any Brigade job I found a handful of contradictory and incomprehensible instructions, any two of which are less drivel than the third. The Brigade Division and Army Corps have had a couple of bad shocks from enemy aeroplanes lately and my job on the Matterhorn seems to be to hear the gentle burr about 10 mile away and straightway devine who they are and immediately report their presence – how the deuce I am expected to recognize the nationality of an aeroplane five miles away passes my comprehension.
Came down 5.30 pm and slept down.
Sent in mess list to Jones. Wrote Ellen.
Collected mess subscription.