find myself one of those selected. After a splendid farewell dinner
with the officers of the battalion on January 4, I left the same night
for London to spend my final leave.

IV

THE JOURNEY OUT

On Monday, January 10, 1916, I left England with three other officers,
bound for the Base Camp at Havre. My companions were 2nd-Lieuts.
Peters, O. Clarke, and Gregson. My final purchases at Southampton
included an extra haversack and some morphia pills. The latter had
been strongly recommended for certain kinds of wounds and they were
still sold without a prescription.[2] The journey across the Channel
was done at night. The transport left port about 8 P.M. and steaming
slowly without lights reached Le Havre about 5 A.M. next morning.

My last view of England was the dreary wet dock, and later on a few
distant and receding lights. Though we got into port at 5 A.M. we were
not allowed to leave the vessel till 8 A.M. But, at last, as a cold
and cheerless morning was breaking, I stepped ashore and set foot for
the first time on foreign soil. We soon found an hotel (? Hotel de
Normandy) where they understood the English language and some of our
ways, and we got breakfast in the English fashion. After a look round
the shops and a shave in a small establishment in a side street, we
reported at a large office in the town. Here we signed our names in a
large register, and were given directions to proceed to a Camp, some
distance from the town, where reinforcements for the 7th N.F. were
collected and accommodated till they could be sent 'up the line.' Our
stay here was a short one, for which I was thankful. They did not seem
at all pleased to see us; it seems we had arrived a few days later
than had been expected, and the Camp Commandant appeared to think it
was our fault. We left Le Havre next day without having tasted the
joys of the 'Bull Ring' or any other educational entertainment
prepared for those staying on at the Camp. The train started about
midnight, and like most troop trains in France moved along in a
leisurely, dignified manner, with frequent stops and long waits
between the stations. When we did arrive at Rouen, which was about
midday on Thursday, we had to change. And feeling unrefreshed by our
night in the train, we spent the time resting at an hotel instead of
seeing the sights. But it is a fine looking old town and would be
worth visiting in more peaceful times.

We left Rouen again at night and wander