Item 03: John Duncan McRae diary, 10 February-6 May 1917 - Page 65

[Page 65]

us in a 'mass parade' but just when we had congregated a rain & hail-storm came upon us & the Brigade Staff Officer told our C/O to 'take us back and put us to bed", which he did, but not in the literal sense, of course.

April 17

Reveille blew at 4 this morning and at 4.15 "the troops" breakfasted and a little later received their lunch, which consisted of a (1) sandwich of bread & margarine & bloater-paste and two 'dog' biscuits. At 6.30 every Battn moved out of camp, and I can assure you there was 'some khaki' on the road within half-an-hour or so. The tents which we had put up were occupied by visiting troops & these all joined us. 'Rollestone' alone must have contributed four or five thousand Australians to the column. That means that our line was just about a mile