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[Page 15]
Breily
13/7/16
Parade at 6 and again at 9 on the latter occasion all marching down to the Somme for a swim. Houses fringe the wooded banks and girls watched the nude men in the usual matter of fact French way. They think nothing of such things here and yet no one could possibly be more mild & dainty than the French Mademoiselles. A very strong current runs through the stream hereabouts and it was almost impossible to swim against it. This is the country of Picardy.
Returning to the ruined Chateau all admired the avenue of trees their branches entwining in a green arch overhead. When the sun shines one gets the full effect of the colour tones but grey days are so very frequent here that the opportunities of just feasting the eyes is rare indeed. The men are billeted in the cellars and vaults on wire netting bunks. Altogether this is a most peculiar place. At H.Q. they have a fine billet & last night the family joined in a game of auction bridge. We go over the parapet into the land of fire & slaughter in a day or two.
This afternoon went out to a field passing through Breily to get there and ascended over a high portion of the road to a fallow meadow a-blow with poppies & cornflowers among the sere crops. An excellent view over the valley of the Somme was obtained. The river directly below with its thickly wooded banks and its fringe of peat bog. Open country rather fully and chequered with cultivation goes up from here.
Directly opposite is a Roman Camp. All round had evidently been a deep excavation which still is like a great green snaky scar encircling the place. There are chalky outcrops hereabouts & what look some ruins near the back of the camp. The men are billeted in an old ruined Chateau quite roofless and deserted & sleep in the dark cellars on wire netting bunks. There is a splendid avenue of trees up the drive to the residence, the branches interlace and form a green aisle which looks lovely when the sun is on it.