retly
trying to make trouble between the British and Italians. I told our
men to remember we had to help on the cause of the Allies and to be
very careful about details, such as saluting every Italian officer. I
think they saluted every Italian private as well. I also told them, in
case they were questioned on the subject, to say they were quite
pleased with the war, in fact that they rather enjoyed it and were not
a bit afraid of the Germans, and were determined to fight until a
decisive victory gave us a chance of lasting peace.

Wherever we went on the journey, we stayed at the best hotels, for (p. 219)
I had told each man to bring with him a thousand francs. It was a
great puzzle to the Italians that Canadian soldiers were able to stay
at the most select hotel in Rome, and also that the officers and men
were able to mix together in real comradeship. The Highlanders in our
party of course attracted the greatest attention, and were frequently
followed by an admiring crowd as they passed through the streets.
Colonel Lamb, the military attache at the Embassy, was very kind to us
and secured us many privileges, not the least acceptable of which was
free transportation. We split up into small parties, and visited the
sights of the Eternal City as we pleased. On the first night after
dinner, we paid a visit to the Coliseum by moonlight, which is
something to remember. Wherever we went we met with the kindest
treatment. The ladies of the Leave Club gave us an entertainment one
evening, which was attended by the military and naval attaches at the
British and American Embassies, and by some of the English residents.
I was proud of the appearance of the men. Before we left the hotel at
Nice, an English lady, the wife of a British General at the front,
came up and congratulated me upon the men, and said they were the most
gentlemanly young fellows she had ever seen. I think it was a help to
them to feel that their appearance in Rome at that critical time was
something which gave our party a kind of political significance, and
the phrase, "to help on the cause of the Allies," became a watchword
among us.

One night an Italian Colonel asked some of our men to dine with him at
his hotel and took them to the theatre afterwards. On another occasion,
five of our men were sitting in the front row of one of the theatres
when an actor gave an impersonation of the different sovereigns of
Europe. When he appeared as King George, the orc