10th June 1916 Saturday

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 “At 3am on June 10th we received orders to pack up at once and proceed to Busnes. We had a great morning packing up and had to leave a good deal of our equipment behind as we couldn’t load it all onto our wagons. The 2/1st Field ambulance (61st Division) relieved us and we marched off at 1.30pm. We got a great send off from the populace. The whole town turned out to say farewell to us. We marched via Lestrem, Merville, Callone and Robecq, through some very pretty country. I rode most of the way on my black pony. It was a tiring trek for the men with their heavy packs, but they were very cheery and sang Welsh songs most of the way. We got to Busnes at 8pm. Here was a very pleasant one streeted village, with a good billet for Elliot and I, wherein dwelt five charming French girls (mama and papa too, of course!) Elliot and I soon got on good terms with the family and the three evenings we spent there passed very quickly and pleasantly in teaching the girls (Marie, Marguerite, Mart, Bert and Irene) our parlour games and in sing songs with myself at the piano.

Whilst at Busnes, I was in charge of the Divisional Baths there and spent most of the day seeing that the men of the division got a bath and a change of socks. The baths were in a disused brewery of sorts. We had a great deal of difficulty in getting a fire going to heat the water and I only had four men with me to get things in order and to issue socks etc.

The men bathed in vats. It was great fun to watch them as they enjoyed their hot bath and they splashed and smacked each other like kids.”

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