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[Page 39]
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to see white bread, the first for me since my arrival in England. Bully Beef was the principal dish, and I found it with the pickles provided, quite appetising. It is a form of pressed beef that really deserves a better name. I enjoyed too, the ration jam with margarine that was much better than the bad butter we had been getting in England. I ordered lights out at nine o'clock, and my little army settled down on their mattresses on the floor, and in grey army blankets. My accommodation was on raised platform at the end that was screened off with curtains. We would all have been very satisfied to remain until morning with the rats that were occasionally scudding across, but just on mid-night came an air raid warning an awful sounding syren that sent a cold shudder down one's back. All lights were cut off but by the aid of an electric torch we hurried on some garments and crossed the road to a shelter that had been shown us previously. The moon was shining as bright as day when we left our boat shed and though there was nothing to be seen, we had no sooner entered the cellar than the bombardment commenced and continued for quite two hours. (We heard afterwards that considerable damage was done, among the saddest a company of 20 Bakers leaving their night's work were completely wiped out.)
It was three o'clock before the "all clear" signal came and we were able to return to our primitive quarters. It was surprising how soon all was quiet again, for we were all very tired. I could not sleep for there was on my mind the responsibility of catching the first train to Abbeville at a quarter to seven. Those whose duty it was to provide tea for breakfast failed and we all would have had to start our journey on cold water but for the kindness of the French Red Cross, who were always day and night at the Railway Station to provide hot drinks for the soldiers.
My journey en route was full of interest, for I passed stations that had a strangely familiar sound from having seen these in the papers in connection with the various battles, and