The reality of war, of course, quickly dis-
pelled all illusions. Even apart from the hostilities, living conditions were life threatening. A typical description in a soldier's letter home complained: 'Hell is the only word descriptive of the weather out here and the state of the ground. It rains every day! The trenches are mud and water

up to one's neck, rendering some impassable – but where it is up to the waist we have to make our way along cheerfully. I can tell you – it is no fun getting up to the waist and right through, as I did last night. Lots of men have been sent off with slight frostbite – the foot swells up and gets too big for the boot.'