Item 04: Walter Bruce Rainsford diary, 3 January 1917-31 December 1917 - Page 94

[Page 94]

island and then retraced our steps to the old barge & Cadeerousse. After a cup of black coffee at the café where the bikes had been left and a chat with the proprietress who knew my friends, we cycled back to Orange in the gathering dusk.

Everyday I made new acquaintances and had to drink numerous coffees, liquors, etc. at various maisons I visited. The son (James) came home on leave to see me. Nearly two years ago he got a bad shell wound in the leg while on the French front and is now hobbling about with the aid of sticks. He is still in a hospital at Lyon awaiting a final medical examination that will discharge him from the Army. He is 21 or 22 and sings & plays well. We used to have plenty of songs, piano & violin solos etc during the evenings. The father who is 49 years of age was temporarily released from military service 3 months ago after continuous service in the French army since the beginning of the war.

On Sunday morning I attended Mass for the first time (Had often wished to see a French R.C. service), and in the afternoon to vary the programme we went to the Pictures. That day we had quite