Item 04: Walter Bruce Rainsford diary, 3 January 1917-31 December 1917 - Page 48

[Page 48]

few thousand Australians make to a village. Our Brigade Units are billetted in various villages in the surrounding district. This afternoon I went for a walk up the valley, going through several pretty little villages in which a number of Portuguese Troops in their grey uniforms were billetted. I crossed the river and climbed up the side of the mountain and walked along the crest through thick undergrowth and a forest of young trees. On getting opposite Lumbres I looked down on the village below, nestling in the fertile valley.

Chateaux with railway line and a couple of factories, nade a very pretty picture. On the other side of the town, running across country like a white ribbon, was the road to Boulognes – 38 kilometres distant.

Sund. 12th Aug 1917
On Thursday the whole Brigade went through battle practice including bush fighting, bombing, etc. The troops advanced over