Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 125

[Page 125]

cut off and the Crown Prince's army is falling into our hands. The estaminets were crowded, & men were on tables singing & dancing; the Marseillaise was sung a dozen times & we Australians were practically made the guests of the revellers, wherever we appeared. I left early because my head became almost unsupportable with a dizziness which afflicts me sometimes, but, very late, a crowd of French soldiers came back to camp singing & laughing, with the bulk of our boys. They fastened a piece of paper, by string, to the tail of the tunic of one of our men, Reilly, and while he hopped & wriggled about, the rest, also hopping, tried to set fire to the paper. This meant that matches & lighted candles were flashing all over the place; the humour of the whole business was that a number of the Frenchmen belong to the anti-aircraft guard, whose duty it is to see that all lights are extinguished. Fortunately no 'planes came over; & in view of the "victory" down south the display of spirit seemed forgivable. It is also amazing, this childish ability "to go gay" in view of the distressing circumstances under which the French have lived. This village has not been badly touched, but the tower & front of the church had suffered from bombs, & the clock has been placed out of action.
May 30
Went down with aching head, giddiness & dry fever, combined with shiverings. Was put off duty