Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 135
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 135]
It was almost as glorious to see the sea again, having not seen it for six months, as the sense of lying in clean sheets was on the first night in hospital. I managed to get a bunk near a porthole, & kept my face glued to it. A destroyer raced backwards & forwards alongside us; and right into the distance we could see Britain's "police of the sea" keeping the Channel clear.
A rather fine thing, when the ambulance train moved out of Dover, was the way the people gave us a cheer as we passed. As they have probably have done this daily for four years it must be rather wearying for them; but evidently they think it a duty.
It seems, from what Hampton says, that the line has been substantially advanced & Fritz well pushed back between Meteren & Morville.
About Morville an artilleryman in the train told me that the Germans were in one end of the town while our troops, supposed to be withdrawing, where in the other end; but both sides were sampling the wine left by the inhabitants, and did not worry about fighting. His battery lost only two guns & they were rendered useless to the enemy.
If Fritz had come on instead of staying