Christmas in the field

Christmas in the field

fiction
edward w pritchard

Le Generale is very strict with us about appropriating supplies from the locals. We have been in the field for four full months and a soldier tends to loose his extra baggage over time. I was cold and lonely starring up at the stars and feeling a little pensive. It's surprising how cold it gets out here in the desert at night.

I had just found the bright planet Jupiter in the sky when the three other Welshmen in the unit came over to cheer me up. Edwards brought me a blanket, Pritchard brought me some wood he had scrounged up and Williams brought me some chocolate for cocoa. Those Welshmen, they will do about anything for a friend.

A couple hours later I woke up warm by my little fire, and wrapped in my new blanket. I began to fret about the comfort of my three Welsh friends. I made that long trek over to C Company and found Edwards, Pritchard and Williams and spent about an hour reading to them from my Gospel of Saint Matthew. Williams and Edwards sang a couple of songs and even the Muslims in the unit joined in singing traditional Christmas songs.
end