Item 02: James William Dains diary, 25 June 1917-2 March 1918 - Page 37

[Page 37]

Friday Sept 14th
Dull, cloudy & promising rain We left Metteren at one oclock & marched about 12 miles to our present camp near Onderom & Orkelush in Belgium The country is very nice. Hop fields are plentiful & the women, girls & boys are very busy picking hops The hops grow on big trellises & run up on wires like vines The wire is fastened by a string to a cross wire about 20 ft. up a knife on a long handle is run along the top wire & cuts the string & the wire falls then the pickers pick the hops they get a penny a kilo = 2 lbs about, rather more. There is no skill required in picking & the children do quite as well as the grown folk & make good money about £ 1 per week. The place here is very busy, hundreds of Motor Lorries are parked about and a constant stream of lorries & troops is moving along