Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 77]
or words to that effect. The men on the platform were fairly apathetic but the French people were buzzing with "Ahs" and "Ohs'. "Quelle monstre"! "Oh, "Mon Dieu" Quelle salle type de canon Allermand". It had been to Amiens and was on its way to Abbeville and after that to Paris. I forgot to tell you that before I left I saw a long Hun train with "Hamburg" "Dresden" "Dusseldorf ", "Essen" "Mulhouse", etc. marked on the trucks. It and its engine with all its steamtubes smashed and boiler cover ripped, tom and bent, were drawn by an English Engine. When our train arrived, it consisted only of horse boxes, and we lay on the floor, covered with chaff and dust, for 14- mortal hours. Arriving here I was too weak to carry my kit-bag to the depot, so came along and left it at Harfleur station. On reporting, I was told I must report to the British authorities a mile and a half away, which I did, cursing the army and its ways. How they're loathed! I head some Canadians last night, on the subject - they didn't open out a little bit. To-morrow I go before the Base M. 0. and on Wednesday before a board. - That's on the 20th. Unless it flies in the face of the verdict of the A. D. M. S. I should go by the next draft after that date, i.e., the 25th. In any case I should be in London before the 30th. That's as near as I can get to anything. I only hope I don't get worse, for then they may put me in hospital here.
France, Aug. 23, '18
I missed writing on account of two things; inoculation and little Mary. From the two of them I had a bad time all Wednesday and felt too ill to do anything but lie on the bed my old pal Lionel Thomas provided me with, in the adjoining camp, of which he is quartermaster sergeant. He has looked after me like a father. Yesterday I went before the Medical Board, and they marked me B3, which means England and another board. There's no difficulty in my case except that, just as in everyone else's, the records have to be made and the forms made and passed from one person to another. And then one has to take one's turn. If I have luck I may get a boat this coming Monday. If not, I will have to wait another week! I am as impatient as can be to get over.