Item 04: Walter Bruce Rainsford diary, 3 January 1917-31 December 1917 - Page 44

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[Page 44]

ground is divided into little allotments by small canals & waterways upon which there are small boats, much resembling Italian gondolas. Picardie embraces the Somme region and all the inhabitants speak the Picard Patios (an old Roman dialect) as well as French. This is particularly noticeable out in the villages where we are, where the country people always use the Patios when speaking among themselves
Friday, 3rd Aug. 1917

During the week ending 31st July we evacuated all our patients to C. Cl. Stns and loaded our waggons prior to moving north. At 5.30 pm on the 31st we moved out of Warley-Baillon & marched 12 kilometres through Vadencourt & Tourencourt to Puchevillers where the Ambulance entrained together with 56th Inf Bn. & left at midnight. We travelled 1st class of course, in other words in cattle trucks on the sides of which were written in French "8 horses or 40 men", I dossed in a truck with 8 horses & 2 drivers. The train arrived at Arques about 9 am and here the Ambulance detrained and marched

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