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their way to the front, their women folk going with them part of the way. After leaving the station we saw a very large wind mill, the only one seen in our travels across Europe.
Could not help noticing the cemetrys as we went along, all the tombstones had wreaths of greenery on them. evidently some french Xmas custom. We passed a large USA camp, the country between Vierzon & Tours appeared to us to be the oldest part of the state, judging from the style of the buildings and the state they were in, the houses for miles were built right into the side of a hill, with others in terraces behind them, the chimneys coming out through the ground. Reached Tours at 6 PM for tea, and at 7 PM the train went off and left about 300 of us behind including most of the officers. after it had gone about an hour we woke up to the fact that we were left behind, at 5 to 9 PM we went on in a special train to catch them, didn't catch them until 3 AM next morning 60 miles away, feeling very cold and sleepy, went straight to bed and never woke till 7 AM.
Thursday Jan 3rd
Stopped at Mezidon fro breakfast 8 AM, then went on the last stage of our railway journey across France, from here on very little snow had fallen, and the country looked more like our own, with its green pastures, sheep & cattle, nearly all the cows are of the Polled Angus variety, and they looked very fine & in good condition. We also saw a couple of very fine cathedrals, just before we reached Cherbourgh, the country side is remarkably pretty with its trees,