p.

15./
the time (when I am not writing to you) But I find
it very difficult + so far have found it impossible to
allow my subalterns to muddle along + be uselss + poor
Ben is quite excellent as I have told you - but the
others are just bloody. They are all passed with the same
bench of wanting to be popular with the men +
they hav not the guts or the personality to try
+ achieve this by means of working the men
hard, but at the same time making things
interesting + then after duty looking after the men
+ helping to amuse them. They gain their popularity
by being easy going + not checking faults + mistakes +
trying not to repeat crimes; + if any man wants a
leave ot a privilege which a moments thought would
tell them cannot be + wanted they say they will ask
the C.O. + then I am the shit for turning it down.
The case of Gergel's interview for a transfer is a case
in point- Headley could well have dealt with that himself
instead of offloading it onto me- what the devil is he
an officer for. The N.C.O.s are much the same always
seeking popularity with the men above all else. This
is largely the dault of their platoon commanders- but
is to some extent explained by them only having the
same length of service as the men. The result of
course is that I am well + truly disliked - Ben + Solomon
not much better- + the others nice people even
though a little despised.
God knows how to get results out of these weak kneed
subalterns. I have tried every way but they seem