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Extracts
from Diary number 4
23/2/17
Rose at about 8 am and had a good "bath" in hot water,
which my landlady brought to me. Afterwards changed into clean things
and feel nice and comfy once again. I change by the way all my underclothes
once every week for clean ones. It is awfully dull and miserably
damp today. Received 3 letters from my Aunt Ada, Miss Dorothy Roberts
and my wife Elinor respectively. On duty 1 pm until 5 pm. I will
now give my adventures or at least some of them for the rest of
the day and the following morning. In invitation had appeared in
last nights "orders" inviting officers and men of the
British army stationed hereabouts who understood French to attend
a lecture by Germain Bapist on "Britains effort in the air"
to be held at the "Cinema omnio, ue des vers aubnois Amiens",
commencing at 8.30 pm. The idea struck me to make some endeavour
to attend and with that view I approached the signalmaster upon
the subject as it would be necessary to be relieved from duty in
the evening. The signalmaster gave me his permission to be absent
and I thereupon request at the orderly room that I should be given
a special pass for the above purpose, which was also granted. Owing
to the fact that automobiles are forbidden to run upon the roads
at present owing to the thaw precau-tions still being in force.
I had in conse-quence the prospect of a long walk in front of me
into Amiens, a distance of about 11 kilometres, which is by no means
a small feat during these days of poor and insufficient rations.
As luck would have it however I managed to pick up a Red Cross ambulance,
with a load of parcel mails, which was going in my direction and
was soon whizzing at between 30 and 40 miles per hour. We reached
Amiens shortly after 6 pm, although I did not finish work until
4 pm, and had changed my clothes, had tea (piece of bread and butter
and cheese) and was obliged to wait sometime for my pass. Walking
down the principle streets of Amiens, I was astonished at the large
number of prostitutes. In fact nearly all the women and young girls
appeared to be in the streets for no other purpose. I was personally
accosted continually. One woman grabbing hold of my sleeve, really
would not let me go, at least for sometime. I went into a flash
sort of dining room and found therein rather a good looking girl
and well dressed, another woman who was with her and who owned the
place, was a little older. Almost the first question put to me was
a proposition of familiarity with Mademoiselle. I admit that I thought
the idea a good one, but I did not intend to accept all the same.
I explained that I had come into Amiens to attend a conference and
that at the moment I needed something to drink. I asked for tea,
but was persuaded after they had numerated a list of strong wines
to accept Benedictine.


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