Insert: I have always disapproved and discouraged firing at night. It is of very little if any use, disturbs rest of troops, wastes ammo[?] ([illegible] let off 20 million rounds a month!), prevents ones working parties from doing work and debars the enemy's weaklings from coming over as prisoners. Moreover any firing that is not likely to be efficacious is encouraging bad fire [?] discipline and to fire because the enemy does so is lowering oneself to his moral level. Even[?] silence is far more effective. It creates mystery and the unknown is always worse than the known. The enemy may send out patrols to see why we don't reply and by this he may make unpleasant discoveries! JAH [annotated in WDS's handwriting, 'General Haldane'