Item 05: Walter Bruce Rainsford diary, 1 January-31 December 1918 - Page 84
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[Page 84]
Orleans 110,000, Tours 100,000, Cherbourg 41,000. The pop. of St. Etienne is 212,000. Refugees, French colonial munition workers and Allied troops & war workers have caused the increase in pop. of these towns.
The Germans are still pushing in their third big attack this spring from Rheims to Noyon. They are now only 43 miles from Paris but are meeting with stubborn resistance from French & British Troops.
Things are quiet in our sector. General Foch guaranteed the safety of Amiens and put 4 divisions of Australians in front of it. The enemy has not advanced a yard. Our 1st Division is up north with a British Corps; it was sent up at all speed when the Germans commenced their second attack, and has not yet rejoined our Corps.
There is plenty of aerial activity. Planes