13th February 1917

Our first effort at squad drill in the local park was good cheap amusement for the old ladies peering through the iron railings until the sergeant, sensing our embarrassment, interspersed his commands with certain army expressions which, one might have expected, were unintelligible to elderly spinsters.  Nonetheless the old dears departed abruptly and the awkward squad was left in peace.

Original diary entry
Note that all entries in the diary regarding letters sent and received were censored at the time.