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[Page 21]
France
A pleasant journey in the train which lasted three days Guards fall out at every stop we made. Treated more like convicts than soldiers. One of the principle towns we passed LLyons, passed around the outskirts of Paris arrived at billeting area Thiennes a small village 80 miles distant from firing line
25th March Billets consisted of stables and cow sheads with a litter of straw on the floor. Instructed in the new mode of warfare, being supplied with Gas Helmets and Goggles. Fri 31 Mar Batt went through a Gas test trench with helmets on also through tear Gas at a place situate near Steinbeck
Sat 1st April 10 mile route march other days being passed in rifle exercises and routemarching 6th April lecture on trench warfare
7 April left Thiennes for firing line. Marched passed General Goffre & staff outside of Steinbeck covered 15 miles the first day billeted for the night Sat 8th moved off again being a 9 miles march arrived at fresh billets about 3PM Sun 9th moved off again for Erquingham a village 3 miles from firing line Here we could