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[Page 82]
Sat Sept 9
Packed up again after Break. Bill Hanagan, Charley and Shep went away with the wagons, and I am left behind to guard the mail. Looked thro' my Bundle of B.E.'s Letters. Sorted out a few and burnt 'em, but it hurt to have to do it, Lill. Please excuse me for not writing often, dear, as I haven't time. I'm always thinking of you tho'. J.X.
About 2 pm I had a "sumptuous" repair (on my lonesome) of Pork and Beans and Bread and Jam.
A Tommy strolled casually along and had a yarn. He said he had been in France 2 years and 8 months and only had 1 leave of 8 days. Poor beggar I felt sorry for him. No matter how bad a man's Luck may appear, one can always find someone worse off than himself.
About 4 the motor lorry blew along to Rail Head at La Neville. Here I saw Tom Harling, my motor school friend. Had Tea and a wash and shave. Then Tom and I wandered thro' the battered village to the Y.M. where we partook of Cocoa and Biscuits.
Sun Sept 8.
Slept fairly well last night, altho' it was on a "down" Bed. Turned out about 8 and had breakfast. Bacon, Bread and Jam, Tea. Then I boarded the mail Lorry and came out to Halle which is about 20 odd Kilos from La Neuville. It was a bumpy, dusty ride and I was not sorry when we reached our destination. Here I found llW fixed up quite snug, for once.
I put in an application to Capt Fletcher to be sent back to my unit and also wrote to O.C. of the 8th, asking him to claim me.
Fritz occupied this village for some time and is in the same shattered condition as every other place he has been driven from.
Mon Aug 9
Last night Fritz came over in strong force with his planes and bombed around here. Our A.A. Guns gave them a lively time and searchlights lit up the sky for miles around. I don't like Fritz's bombs. They give one such an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of ones stomach. He was buzzing around till about 2 this morning. We were just settling down to try and get another sleep, when the A.S.C. trumpet blared out "Reveille". But we took no notice of it. Slept in till about 8 then we got Break. from the 9th F. Amb, cook.
Wrote Letter 38 to M.S.
Tues 11
Last night we dug down a couple of feet in our Tent and made a sort of earthwork in case Fritz dropped a Bomb near us. It rained nearly all night and Fritz didn't come over, so had a good nights sleep. I left my strop, mirror belt and pocket knife behind at Rail Head, so it was rather a disastrous trip.
This morning I strolled casually into the 9th D.S. and asked for some digitalis. The chap in the dispensary said he couldn't give it to me without seeing the Doctor. So I saw the Doc, Capt Sampson, who marked me straight away for evacuation. So I said "Hooray" to the Post Office Boys and came away in a motor to 5 GG's at Proyart about 8. Had a couple of feeds aboard the Train. Didn't get any sleep, arrived Rouen about 4.30 on