Item 01: James McCall Young diary, 9 November 1917-22 April 1918 - Page 65

[Page 65]

Tuesday Jan 1st 1918
New Year's Day.
7AM were roused out by our O.C. (Lieut Turner) to march up to the rest camp, had been snowing all night, had to return 1 blanket each, had some hot stew for breakfast without salt, then had to come back to the train to go on guard for 1½ hours, got covered with snow and we all had to shake our clothes to get it off. There is a train load of Indians alongside us bound for Italy. We sat in the train from 10.30 AM till 4.15 PM at the station without getting out, we are all suffering from corns on the seat of our trousers. The train travelled very slowly all night.

Wednesday Jan 2nd
Arrived at Saincaize 7 AM for breakfast. left again at 9.45 AM. some of the chaps filled in their time by skating on the ice alongside the line. We had a shave in the train as we were going along, Bdr Burrows used cold cream instead of toothpaste to clean his teeth, Joe Redden enjoyed his shave so much, he said he was so happy he could cry, passed a train with over 200 very fine mules on board. The trains that pass us are very long, one we counted had 42 carriages. Just outside Saincaize is a very large aerodrome, one station we passed was almost covered with guns of all sizes. At Bourges we spoke to an American lady who told us that the American troops had gone to Italy. Saw a funeral going along the road, the hearse went first, then the men with the women following, all walking. At Vierzon we got a bottle of brandy, cost 13 Francs, (Stredy & Kaffir were happy for the rest of the day), while at the station a train load of French soldiers left on