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[Page 15]
Crane for today at any rate giving us a lot of unnecessary work & overtime. They have notes here of all values from one Halfpenny upwards. Some are issued by village Syndicates, these latter look like Bus tickets but are about 1½" x 1" in size.
Saturday, 21/12
Had another afternoon as Crane Driver. Our Tucker here is somewhat scanty even now. It seems that Fritz blew up bridges, Railways & Roads to such an extent that it is very difficult to get the food up. The people here on the French side of the Frontier haven't a darn thing. But if one walks up the street about a K.M. or 2 (on the Belgian side of the Frontier) one finds Estaminets open, Fair Beer at ½ the French price for Bad Beer. Plenty of Lollies, mechanical Pianos & Dancing in the Estaminets (Mdmlles too). The French tell me they can't get even Bad Beer. A Kgrmme. of coffee costs 38 Francs, no sugar, no anything. But the Belgians seem to have plenty. I'd like to know why I weighed 11 stone today.
Monday, 23/12
Among the gear salvaged are a number of small Generators direct connected to what looks like a small mech. motor with an interrupting device in the Generator circuit. I believe these are Dynamos for small wireless sets. They are wound up by a crank & then let go like a clockwork toy. I will probably have more to say about them later on. One fair sized Dynamo here has Graphite Brushes.
Mac's letter.