State Library of NSW
[Page 154]
shacks now available. Our number of beds has had to be reduced – a rather awkward thing when such large numbers of sick are coming down the line and the hospital ships cannot evacuate across to England from Boulogne.I was in Boulogne Christmas Eve. Things were very quiet although the lighting restrictions had been relaxed for 24" & 25" Dec. to make it things a little more cheerful. Special Xmas leave had been granted to as many of the French Troops as possible and there were a fair number of "Poilu" about. A custom that is observed here on Christmas Eve each year is for children, ie. Street urchins, gamins and the like to carry a little paper lantern called a "quonel" and go from house to house and café to café asking for sous. They looked very pretty flitting about everywhere.On Christmas day (yesterday) everything was
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