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[Page 33]
We went for a route march through Etaples and Paris-Plage to day, and saw something of each place. The former is quite a small town, and of no interest, but Paris-Plage has much to recommend it. There are numbers of fine private residences, country homes & sea-side houses of the French aristocracy. There is a charming park, with Golf-links and pretty walks through the pine forests, which show up now, since all the other trees are quite bare. There are several "Hospital militaire Complementaire" (Nos 35 & 43) which are crowded with French & Tommy wounded. As we had a band with us, our approach was heralded, & the walking cases all flocked out & watched us move past. There's not much demonstration on the part of the soldiers from the line, it all comes from civilian population. The returned soldiers just think, when they see men safe & sound on their feet, either how lucky they are, or feel a kind of pity that they too have to go thro' what they themselves have endured.
On Nov. 29th we left Etaples at 3.30 in the afternoon. There was a 1st Brigade draught of 50 odd men, only 13 men for the 3rd Battalion. The train was dreadfully slow, we often shunted off the line to allow traffic to pass, munitions, guns, & hospital trains, causing a delay of half an hour or so. In one case we remained for 3 hours on a side line. We were very crowded in 3rd class cars, and often got out & walked or trotted beside the train to warm our feet and stretch our limbs. On several occasions the french women, girls & kiddies, ran down to the line & sold us coffee & bread, at fabulous prices too. That will serve to show you how fast the train moved. Everywhere along the line was evidence of whole heartedness with which France is in this war. All foundries were going strong with girls working like men. The women were in the fields. Old men were on guard at crossings & other places, leaving all men of young age for the firing line. Hun prisoners are working everywhere with a scanty guard with fixed bayonets standing amongst them. But Fritz knows when he's well off, & doesn't worry. They look at us going up to the line, with an