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[Page 27]
½ hour and the British red cross gave us tea, coffee, cocoa, cakes, lollies cigarettes and a post card to send home. We had to fill these card in and return them to the women so as they could post them. Then we was off again and we made for the West of England down Devonshire and we passed through some mountanious country and it was very nice to the eye to see after ruined France and we went along the river Tamaras [Tamar] for about 5 miles then we came to Plymouth where we was taken off the train at Bayroad [Millbay] Station and put in motor ambulance driven by women and I was taken to Ford House Hospital Devonport and put into C3 ward and put to bed again and it was just 6.45 pm then three different sisters came around and took our name address No. Btn. and such like then we was let go to sleep and on the 19/5/17 the Doctor had a look at me and I asked him could I get up and he said yes in about a weeks time so in the morning of the 20/5/17 I got up the night staff did not say anything but when Sister Smith came the day sister she asked me who said you could get up. I said no one so I had to get back lively for she stopped there till I got back to bed again and poor mug Harry was the laugh for the ward and I had to stay in bed till the 27/5/17 and I did not want telling twice to get up I can asure you and on the 30/5/17 I with others was transferred to Milbay [Millbay] V.A.D. Hospital in the Milbay Park in Marque tents and on the 1/6/17 we got our uniforms from H.Q.London and we were allowed to keep our overcoats hat and boots and we got leave every day from 2 pm till 8 pm. Every day. And it was the best place I think ever any of the Australians soldiers had been in and right up to the time I left I had a good time and plenty to eat and drink and good food to.
On the 1/7/17 got leave from 9.30 am. till 9.15 P.M. and went for a picnic to Gelverton [Goveton?] about 8 miles with Mr. & Mrs. Rule and we went to her daughters place and we had a good day the names of my best friends in Plymouth are Mr. & Mrs. Rule, Mrs. Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Brolly, Mrs. Harris Nurse Dillon and Sister Smith. These people could not do enough for the Australians they had no favourites. We was all the same to them a long way from home then the time came when a lot of us had to get out and get ready for France again. It was on the 12/8/17 that the Doctor said get out and we only had that day to go and see our many friends for we left Plymouth at 8.30 a.m. on the 13/8/17 for we did not know where and all went well till we got to Exiter [Exeter] where the train stopped for a few minutes and two of us got out to get cup of tea when the train went on and left us behind we had nothing with us and the other chap had left his hat in the train and all we knew was that we was going to London but then where we did not know so we caught another train 3 hours 8 minutes later and we arrived at Paddington there was no one there to meet us so we did not know what to do so Cpl Ward went to the R.T.G. on the station and he told us that the rest of them went to Dartford. But he could not send us on and the best thing we could do was to go to HQ Horseferry road London so he gave a note to say that we had reported to him and away we went the Cpl. with no hat and we reported to the Adjutant General and we stated our case to him and he gave us a note to the War chest to get tea bed breakfast and dinner and a leave pass each till 1 pm. on the 14/8/17 so that night we went to the Lycium, Theatre to see 7 days leave