Contrasting lifestyles
As the second diary entry here shows, General Haig did pay attention to conditions at the front. Throughout his diaries, however, frequent references to his eating habits show how much the life of headquarters staff differed from that of the front-line troops.
On his way by train to the front on 16 August he recorded:
'I had filled my new lunch basket with chicken, ham, bread and butter so that we should be independent of Army supplies in case of any delay en route or after our arrival at our area of concentration.'
And on the 19th Haig wrote:
'Some [soldiers] complained of the quality of the boots, the soles were giving way already, no nails in them and leather [like] brown paper! Also some [men] getting short of socks. Everything possible is being done to get the men fit with route marching etc. Weather is now very hot. It was nearly 7.30 pm before we go[t] back. We usually dine at 7 pm and breakfast at 8 am unless circumstances oblige us to do otherwise.'
