Item 04: Walter Bruce Rainsford diary, 3 January 1917-31 December 1917 - Page 27

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[Page 27]

on Friday night, 15th inst. and climbed on board a troop train which left Central Station Boulogne, at 10 pm bound for an unknown destination. At half past twelve we arrived at Etaples and two hours later at Amiens – from here the train ran on in the direction of the line (front) and the difference in the country became noticeable. The fields were practically uncultivated, old trenches & earthworks could be seen and military camps were frequently passed. The train rattled on over shaky old lines and came to a stop on a siding. Then came the order – all Australians out of the train; we hopped out on to the line and walked for a few hundred yards where after a short wait, we mounted another train and continued the journey. It soon became evident that we were approaching the area occupied by the Australians. The train passed numerous villages & isolated farms full of our chaps – all in billets. At 7 am we steamed into Albert, the town in the Somme Department

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