“As the tour went on he got into his stride and the reception [by the troops] improved. The conditions did not. He slept in bamboo huts, keeping one eye out for snakes, witnessed the rudimentary medical care available for the wounded and saw men die. On one occasion he performed so close to enemy lines he had to raise his voice over gunfire, and when the wind changed the smell of rotting corpses was overwhelming. He threw up in a bucket in the wings and went back on.”

Note

* Noel Coward was a brilliant actor, author, playwright and wit during the 1920s and 30s. He was gay and was severely criticised for his non-participation in WW1.

Source

LRB 29^th June 2023 p17 Review of Masquerade: The lives of Noel Coward by Oliver Soden