Marsh letter diary, 14 January-2 March 1917 / Henry James Marsh - Page 3

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train, even the engine was endraped with greenery, it looked a pretty sight to see the train passing along, as soon as the engine whistled the people were in swarms all along the line to give us a last farewell. At one of the stations we stopped at there was a returned soldier from the Dardanelles with the left arm off, his colours were of the 9th battalion. As he was saying good-bye to us he said he was sorry he could not go back with us but he pointed to his arm, and we knew then his trouble, he had done his share. well we left W'Garra at 8.30 P.m the noise was terrible with the engines whistling and the shouting, also there was a great crowd to see us off. I found out that the carriages are much wider in N.S. Wales than in Qld of course it is the wider gauge and 8 men in a compartment was very comfortable but in a Qld compartment it is like sardines in oil especially when it is hot. The engines in N.S. Wales have no brass about them, they are built for speed only, and not for show. They can travel very fast. The engine that took us down to Sydney had a footplate on her 9ft high, and the wheels were on casters. She looked very like a big elephant after being used to the style of the Qld engines. In some parts of NS.W. the people provided us with cakes and milk as much as we would eat, it was very cold when passing through Armidale, I had a fairly good sleep as I made a bunk on the floor of the carriage. The tucker we struck was bully beef every meal on both sides of the border, it wasn't too bad for a change, but I suppose very soon that will be tucker always. We arrived in Sydney