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[Page 90]
during the night followed by a blizzard which was still blowing furiously when the march was commenced. After a very long march with the blizzard blowing straight in our faces we arrived at Wizernes a big railway centre where the battalion was halted being instructed to sit down on the side of the road. It was practically unbearable waiting about for the blizzard was still blowing & as there was no shelter available the boys had to walk about to try & keep warm. After waiting about for some considerable time the troops were marched into the railway yard where we were packed into a train, then patiently waited to get a move on. After spending a few miserable hours in the train owing to being cramped up we finally disentrained at Neurve-Eglise a village to the south of Ypres. The battalion was formed up in the railway yards then set off on the march going about a mile to Ramilles Camp on the outskirts of the village of Kemmel. On arriving at the camp the companies were allotted to huts which were very comfortable, the camp itself being well laid out for between the huts tracks of double duckboards had been made these being about a foot above the ground. The weather was still very cold but luckily the huts were fitted out with stoves which enable us to have fires which was a great comfort. The duties in this camp consisted of about two hours drill each day this nearly always consisted of short route marches. After a couple of days in the camp the freeze of winter set in making the ground as hard as rock & as slippery as glass to walk on & very often we were troubled by very heavy snow storms. The Divisional baths were close by the camp where the troops were able to have a hot shower & also obtained a change of underclothing frequently but it was a very cold process for the showers were only enclosed by hessian with an iron roof. The divisional concert party were showing each night in the village of Kemmel within a couple of hundred yards of the camp. Some very pleasant evenings were spent at these entertainments which cost the troops ½ a franc (5d) for entrance but the shows were well worth the money. It was in this camp that we spent our Xmas of 1917 and considering the circumstances everyone had an exceptionally good time for all the boys seemed well satisfied. Boxing morning I was detailed in charge of a big fatigue party being instructed to go to Wytschaete village to the old church to report to the Engineers. On arriving at Wytschaete after a four mile march I reported to the Engineers when the party was put onto road making using stone from the old church for this purpose. This village had been absolutely levelled by artillery fire the old church being battered about until a stone was not left standing. After working all that day the party returned to camp about dusk when a meal was soon done justice to. The following day I went with an officer & three N.C.Os to have a look around the Front line, Supports & reserve trenches which were to be our new home in a few days time. We also had a look at two big mine craters which our people had blown a few months previous at the beginning of the attack on Messines Ridges. These mine craters were of big dimensions which went to prove the power of the explosives which had been used to blow such a hole. The next few days were spent very quiet in & about the camp with very little to do but the conditions we were living under & the concessions metered out to the troops pleased all for it was so different to the hard times which had been experienced during the past months. During the 30th December I was detailed to act as advance guard for my platoon receiving orders to be ready to move