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[Page 6]
red-cross work at the station canteen. They were very serious, capable and attractive, and made the time pass more quickly for us fretting individuals. On our way we had in the compartment an English W.O. with a Scotch name, a good sturdy type; an Afrikander and a Boer named Lombard, a fine, enlightened man, athletic in body and mind. It took us 24 hours to get to Havre. At early twilight we reached Etaples, pulled up for a little while and saw the damage done to the hospitals by the unutterably wicked raid, when so many wounded men in cots and brave sisters were slaughtered. A stray American engineer who had boarded the troop-train somewhere en route and who said he was "lahst" reckoned he would get off here. He said that he had no idea where his "gang" were; that the directions given him were vague and that he didn't see why he shouldn't "combine pleasure with war" and see as much of the country as he could. His "mileage" was all right and he could always "rustle"a cup of "cawfee" and something to eat. Just before the train started again he came back and said "when God made this lil' burg he must ha' bin feelin' kinder keerless. He seems to ha' left out a few pieces." I think that in the half light he took the ruins for unfinished buildings. At Abbeville a bombing raid was in progress, but nothing landed near us. At Amiens the shells were bursting a few hundred yards away but we were either asleep or too sleepy to notice much. Our train, chiefly composed of horse trucks, was very long and very slow. When the engine stopped the jarring and jolting were something to cable home about. One would think the cars would telescope. And it went on all night. All day we clanked through Normandy; seeing few signs of war; occasionally a plane or a few motor wagons of the "ravitaillment" corps, curiously shaped pale-blue vehicles, scuttling across country. At noon we reached enchanting Rouen, and at 4 in the afternoon Harfleur. We left our stuff at the station and walked to the Base Depot where I met a lot of old friends, who welcomed me royally. The quartermaster, Capt. W., was well known to me, and he gave me a well needed new outfit of clothes. Here I parted from Scott who left for Flanders to join his