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[Page 8]
Renescure
10/7/16
is the chateau of Bernard de Renescure a fine old place whose owner is at the war. It is surrounded by thick trees. On the right hand side of the entrance door is a sundial with a Latin motto and a projecting iron rod gives the shadow. The seasons are shown as well as the hours. This family are evidently of some local importance as I noticed their tomb in the graveyard of the church. The church is a very old place which was originally built in 1380 but restored at different times since. The usual recent graves surround the church but there are a couple of old family tombs. The door is of carved stone and evidently very old. In a little niche in the portal is a small carved figure of a monk reading a book. Inside the church is very bright and there are some old paintings on the wall. In the floor are flags carved to denote whose grave is beneath. The tower is something like that of the Hotel de Ville Bailleul. Behind the church is another cheateau. The village is a clean prosperous looking one, the schools are still being held. One cannot help noticing that the physique of the youngsters is poor compared with Australian children perhaps owing to so little meat being eaten.
Slept all the afternoon and received orders at 8 p.m. to move off at 3.40 ready to entrain at St. Omer 7 miles away at 6.40 p.m. Issued necessary orders. Thence our route is via Calais, Boulogne, Etaples, Abbeville to Amiens where we billet. It will be a 7 hour journey in daylight so should be very enjoyable seeing all the interesting country. We have now been right across France from Marseilles and know portions of the country like a book. We have marched across a good deal of North Eastern France so have an intimate knowledge of a good deal of the country. Unable to get into St. Omer to see all the places of interest there and shall have to be content to see a lot from the train. Every place here is historic and it hurts to pass without lingering for a while to see these places.