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[Page 40]
breakfast. We billeted in the detention camp for the night, march was about ten miles. Write to Mother and field card for Jack. Retire 9 p.m.
Aldershot Camp was in the Belgium border.
Monday, July 10th:
Fine. Rise 5.30 a.m. Physical drill. We leave our billet at Merris 6.30 p.m. Arrive at Godersvelde (distance of march, 6½ miles) 8.45 p.m. Once again we bivouac there for the night. We are granted leave that night till 10 p.m. to visit the village. The march from Merris was not so difficult because we had the cool of the evening (full pack and blanket and waterproof). Retire 10 p.m.
Tuesday, July 11th:
Reveille 3.30 a.m. Fine. Pack up and get drink tea, march to station and entrain. While at Merris I visit the local R.C. Church. Part of the ceiling was destroyed by rifle fire of some sort, some of the windows have been smashed. The interior was gracefully designed, with statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus on the Cross – in fact a fair number of figures were in evidence. A great deal of carving was in evidence. The material was a very good class of oak. I saw the confessional boxes. The lovely pulpit with its winding stairway, the Christening Font, and another article that had some red liquid in it; this receptacle was on a sort of ornamental dish. The woodwork was certainly the work of experts