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[Page 548]

"Cheer up Aussie". "Why don't you smile". But it was a difficult matter to smile at times. When you are marching through a cheering mob you feel so moved at times that you feel more like crying with emotion & pride. That's how I felt nearly all the time. Besides the boys were out to beat the Guards who did their march a few days before.

The papers were very complimentary about the wonderful record we had put up in the war - the fine marching we did referring to the fascinating wide awake hats & the free & easy spirit of the Anzacs which have made them since the beginning the people's pets.

At the dinner Hughes addressed us & as soon as he put his head inside the marquee he was welcomed with "Good day Billy" from everywhere & prolonged cheering. He is very popular amongst the troops. He appeared again in the afternoon at Her Majesty's where we were being entertained with Joe Cook & Senator Pearce. When he got up to speak on the stage someone sang out "sing us a song Billy". He made a very good speech & told us that there were difficulties in peace as well as having a hard fight in war & [indecipherable].   Someone said "Stick to it Billy" and when he said "We must have those islands either own them or have a leasehold which differs so little from ownership" that it would give the selectors plenty of work to argue out the difference, he was cheered. Joe Cook was greeted with "Good ole Joe".

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