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[Page 41]
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for it was her face I first remembered on my arrival at the pier and she was particularly kind and helpful, being a competent French linguist.
It was past midnight when I reached my new quarters, and as the bell at the outer door clanged, reverberated, it had a queer and uncanny sound. A sleepy attendant let us in and I found two of the staff awaiting my arrival and a good fire burning, which was decidedly cheery after the cold huts. Though rather unkempt as I could see at first glance the mess room was not without possibilities, but I tried to dismiss everything for the night and got to my room as quickly as possible. It was a good size but an uninviting apartment without ornament of any kind. Just a bed with grey army blankets, bare boards, uncovered shelves, a tin wash stand. I was very tired though and, despite the surroundings, found the bed comfortable and slept till the dressing bell called.
At breakfast I met the members of the mess, and though everything was very strange I felt a degree of comfort from the fact that they were looking for organisation that had been lacking in the past, and were prepared to assist in securing it.
My first duty was to report to the Area Controller who arranged for me to be shown round, and I found in the course of my inspection that my Head Quarters was an old French hotel that had been taken over by the War Office. It had a sadly neglected appearance and the drains as in most French towns were in a very insanitary condition. The entrance was a cobbled court yard with a kitchen well in view. Except in the Administrator's Quarters there were no fire-places, and only a defunct central heating apparatus, so that the women were very uncomfortable. At an adjunct, however, a once private house that did duty as an auxiliary, the conditions were much better, for here at least in the recreation room the women had the advantage of a fire. My first day was taken up in becoming acquainted with the various conditions, and towards evening I walked to the Sea Front, and spent an hour in bewilderment at seeing the activities of war time. Ambulances in slow and steady procession