Diary of Keith Morton Hickman, 1916-1919 - Part 6

1918    98
On October 29^th I visited the town
of Le Catteau with another sergeant.
This was another fairly large town
that had been reacently retaken
from the Germans. A few of the
buildings here had been destroyed.
As usual the church was
wrecked. The Huns seemed to
make it a point to destroy all
churches and religious places
whenever they were forced to
retreat.
On November 1^st I was sent on
duty to the villiage of St. Souplet.
Had to take some 6" T.M. beds
to the workshops for alterations.
I passed through Bohain and
Bussigny on the way.
On November 3^rd I was sent with
a Motor Lorrie to to the villiage of
Cartigny, near Perronne, to collect
some Guns which had been
left there for repairs. I passed 

1918    99
through the villiage of Estrees  
Bellecourt, Hargicourt, Templeux le    
Grand, Roisel, Tincourt, and Bure
then across the river to Cartigny.
I got the guns and returned via
Vermand, Bellenglise, Johncourt,
Ramnicourt, Montbrietan, Brancourt
and back to Premont. During
the day I covered about eighty
miles altogether. This was the
very last piece of work I did near
the firing line. It was a fine
day and I quite enjoyed the trip.
On November 9^th I left the battery
at Prémont and proceeded on
eight days leave to Paris. I
caught the leave train at Fresnoy
le Grand. I expected to get to Amiens,
where I changed for Paris, at
about 1.30 P.M. The leave train
crawled round via St Quentin
where it stopped ¾ of an hour
then it crawled on to some 

1918   100    PARIS
place on the old battlefield the
name of which I never found out.
We stayed here an hour. Then
we crawled round through Ham,
Nesle, and Roye, and arrived at
Longeau just outside Amiens at
7.15 P.M. The train was going stay
there for two hours so I got out
here and camped with the 5^th
D.A.C. for the night.
Next day Nov.10^th I walked into
Amiens and spent a few hours
there and at 2.30 P.M. I caught the
Calais-Paris express. We had a
non stop run to Paris, and arrived
there just after dark. After reporting
to the Authorities at the Caseme
Peppenir I put up at the Hotell
Suisse in Rue Layfaette. Everyone
was excited because the reply from
the Germans as to wheather they
would accept the Allied Armistice
terms was to be published next day. 

 

1918    101     PARIS

Nov 11^th. I went to the Australian
pay office and drew some pay.

and then I went to deliver a

message to a place near the 
Gare du Nord. I had almost 

reached my destination when the 

three guns boomed out. It was

the proclamation of the German

Surrender to the Allies.  In an 

instant Paris was in an uproar.

Every bell in the city began to 
ring, People cheered and sang, and

embraced one another, I collected

more kisses in half the an hour

than in all my life before. Small

processions formed up and marched

all over the place singing Allied

Airs.  At 2.30 P.M. the British troops

in Paris on leave met at the

leave club at the Place de la Repbublic

^to march to the British Embassy and thence

to the Place de la concorde. We

started off with the Royal Horse Guards

Paris    102

band in the lead and a 

Bagpipe band half way down

the column. I might state that

as usual the Australians were

in front. There were about 7000

of us British Soldiers present.  We

moved about 100 yards as a

procession and then it became

a mass.  From one side the street

to the other was a mass of singing

Delerious people. After a struggle

we got to the Embassy and Lord

Derby the British Ambassador spoke

a few words to us and then the 
mass moved on to the Place de la

Concorde where a great Patriotism

was displayed by everyone.  The

crowd was estimated at 4,000,000
and when they sang the 

"Marcellaise" the volume of voice

was immense.

I went back to the hotell and

had a wash up and some

 

Paris   103

tea. Then I went to the Casino de

Paris. Here everyone was mad and
of course my mates & myself went

mad too. I got back to the

Hotell just before midnight.

On November 12^th. I met Arthur

May at the leave club, and after we

had dinner we joined a party and

spent the afternoon in the "Hotell

des Invalides."  This is where all

the relics of Napoleon are kept. It

was originally a Hospital built by

Lewis XIV for his veteran soldiers.

Napoleon's tomb is there now.  After

we left the Hotell des Invalides" we

visited the "Big Wheel" and went on

it. When going round the Big

wheel we got a splendid view of

Paris below us. We went to the
Leave Club for tea and then we 

went to the Opera Commisere

with another party under the

guidence of Mrs Sykes.  We saw the

Paris    104

opera "Louise' played and I

enjoyed it very much. The theatre

itself is a beautifull building and

the orchestra of over 1,00 performers

is very fine. I got back to the

hotell about 2 A.M.

On November 13^th.  Arthur & I joined

a party going to the palace at

Versailles. The beauties of this place

cannot be described. I will not
attempt it. We enjoyed ourselves to 
the full. We had tea and then

we went to the Casino de Paris to 
see the Review Par-Ri-Ki-Ri. And I

don't hesitate to say it was the 
most brilliant Review I've ever seen

on the stage.

On November 14^th We went with
a party from the leave club on

the river trip. Starting from the 

junction of the Marne & Seine we
proceeded up the Seine as far as

St Cloud. We passed under the

Paris    105
37 bridges over the Seine. It was a 

lovely day and I enjoyed myself to

the full. That night we went to 

the Alambra Theatre but did not
enjoy it as much as the previous nights

at other theatres.

On November 15^th  We spent the 
day on our own and visited the

famous cathedral of "Notre Dame" and

the church called "Eglise Sacre coeur,"

and other places that came in our 

way. That night we went to the 
Agalle Theatre and the show was

the roughest I've ever seen. We

cleared out at half time fed up.

On November 16^th. We went with

a leave club party to visit

Napoleon's Palace at Fontainbleau

We started from the Gare du Lyon

at 7.45 A.M. and got to Fontainbleau

about 9.30. We went right through

the palace before dinner and after 

dinner we drove in the forrest of

Paris     106

Fontainbleau. I was beginning to 
feel pretty bad and by the time

I got to bed, after I had been to

the "Folies Begere"  I had a very

high tempreture. We had our

seats booked to see the English

review "Zig-Zag" and so did not like 

to miss it. I had a very good day

but I very nearly paid dearly for it.

Next day Nov 17^th I reported sick

to the doctor at the Peppinir

Barracks. He examined me and

took my tempreture which was

104.1° and immediately sent me to

the Astoria Hospital with a

severe attack of Spanish Infleuenza.

I remained in bed for ten days.

After I had been up two days I was

allowed out. and on Nov 29 I

went to the Gaumont Picture 

Palace.

The King came to Paris on Nov 29^th

and he got a great welcome from

Paris    107

the French People. About 3,00,000

people turned out to see him. As he

passed the hospital we few

Australians raised a big "Coo-ooe"

and his Majesty looked up and

saluted us. It was a damp day

But in spite of it all the people

went mad again. and were still
mad when I left Paris two days

later.

On Nov 30^th. I went to the Opera
with Mrs Sykes and about [[?20]]

other soldiers. We saw the opera 
of Hamlet. The building is beyond

description it is over 100 years

old and seats about 10,000 people.

The orchestra here is 100 strong and it

is very beautifull. The building is

quite beyond description on paper.

On Dec 1^st I attended an Australian

officer's funeral in the morning and
at 4.P.M. I left Paris from the
Gare St 'Lizare for Rouen where we

Rouen    108    Buchy

we were to go to No 2 Convalescent

camp. I remained here till Dec 5^th

I only slept in the camp. The

rest of the time I was seeing all

I could in Rouen. I saw the spot

where Joan of Arc was burned in 1430

I had a good look at the Cathedral
and all other places of interest.

On December 5^th I was sent to No 11

Convalescent Depot at Buchy, a

small villiage about 30 miles from

Rouen on the Amiens line.

I remained here a month. and had

a good time. I joined the Red Cross

concert party and we worked up a 

pantomine for Christmas.
We had a very fine spread on

Christmas day. And a concert in

the Sergeants mess after.
We staged the pantomine on 

December 29^th "The Babes in the

wood" in two acts. I had to

chang seven times. It was a

 

Buchy     109      1919

brilliant success, and we repeated

it on the two successive nights

Dec 30^th & 31^st.

On January 1^st we had a good

spread in the mess and another
concert after.
I left Buchy for Havre on Jan 4^th

and arrived about 7 P.M.

Next day January 5^th I was [[?ennoculated]]

and sent on picquet same night

to Havre.

I remained here just a week and

during which time I had leave
twice to the town. Twice I was
on guard and twice on picquet.
I applied for 14 day's leave to England
which was due to me, on January 10^th
and I embarked at Havre on
January 12^th and sailed for England
same night. I arrived at
Southampton next moning (Jan 13^th)
and went straight to London
where I reported to Head Quarters 

England   110

and drew some pay and got my
clearence. I stayed in London
and went to the Lyceum theatre
that night.
Next day (Jan 14^th) I went to Miss
Anslow's home at Wolverhampton
and here I spent a very pleasant
week.
On January 17^th I went to B
Birmingham for the day. The
girls had some shopping to do so
I was taken as escort. Had a good
look round while they were shopping
and we caught the 6.15 train
home after a very pleasant day.
I left Wolverhampton on Jan 21
and went to Edinburgh via Crewe
and Carlisle. I arrived there at
7.30 P.M. and stayed at the Old
Waverly Hotell in Princes' street. I
only stayed here a day and a
half. It was very foggy all
the time. I went all over the

Scotland.   111
Edinburgh Castle in the moning of
January 23^rd and left for Glascow
at 1.15 P.M. same day.
I got to Glascow shortly after
2.P.M. and put up with a Canadian
Corporal at the Waverly Hotell in
Sauchiehall Street. That night we
went to the Theatre Royal to a
pantonine, and next day we stolled
about the town visiting the
Cathedral in our wanderings. That
night we went to the Alambra
Theatre.
Next day my Canadian chum left
and went to Edinburgh and as the
afternoon was wet, I went to a
Matinee of "Yes Uncle" and that
night it was wet again so I went
to the Princess theatre to another
pantonine.
Next day January 26^th I went out to
Rouken Glen. A very pretty park
outside Glascow. I left Glascow 

England    112
by train at 9 15 P.M. for London
I arrived at 9.A.M. and went
straight to the Doctor at Head
Quarters, Horseferry Road, and reported
sick with Scaebies. I was sent to
hospital at Bulford on Jan 27^th
I remained here a week and on
Jan February 3^rd. I was sent to
No 1 command Depot at Sutton
Veny in Wiltshie. This a small
villiage near Warminster. I spent
an uneventfull eight weeks here
with plenty of snow, rain, and
frost. We had very little to do.
so did not fare much very badly.
I missed your four boats for home.
March 30^th was the day I had
been looking forward to for many
months. I left Sutton Veny at
11 P.M. for home. We entrained at
Warminster and went to
Liverpool. Here we boarded the
P&O steamer "KHYBER" on March 31^st

At Sea   113
And we sailed for home on
April 1^st 1919 at 6 A.M. We had
an uneventfull run over a calm
sea to Gibraltar. We passed here
just after dark on April 5^th and
had a Glorious run to Port Said
where we arrived at 10 A.M. on
April 10^th We were not allowed
ashore owing to disturbances
amongst the natives. Most of us
went for a swim over the side
and six men were left behind. They
swam ashore and went to the town
but did not return before the ship
sailed. Two men raced madly
along the canal bank and were
put aboard by a launch. The six
men left behind only had bathing
tights on and no money with them.
One man fell overboard somewhere
between Gibraltar and Port Said. He
was not missed for several days. He
was posted "Lost at Sea. 

At Sea.    114
We left Port Said at 3.PM on

April 11^th Enroute for Colombo
via the Suez Canal. We passed
Suez next moning but only stopped
for three hours, when we
continued our journey to Colombo.
A number of the fellows swam
ashore and went to the town. Six
of these were left behind. Two
arrived just as the boat got under
way and raced madly down
the canal bank on foot for about
three miles. We were all highly
amused of course and wondered
how far they would stick to it.
Eventually they were picked
up by a canal service launch
and put on board ship, amid
the cheers of all hands.
We were four days running down
the Red Sea. The sea was like
oil and the heat intense. We
used to have to strip to the waist

115.
to have our meals and even then
the perspiration would flow off us in
copious showers. Our officers had
electric fans and ices etc. in their 
quarters. But what is good enough
for a dog is far too good for us
soldiers.
On April 17^th We sighted an Arab
Dhow which was flying the signal of
distress. Upon investigation we found
the poor devils had been five
days without water. Of course
their wants were attended to.
We had a calm and uneventful
voyage to Colombo, where we

arrived on April 21^st. We took on
coal and water, and put off two
more cases of Small pox and sailed
for Freemantle on April 22^nd
We had a very calm voyage and it was abosolutely void of incident
as far as Freemantle. We arrived here
on May 2^nd. And anchored out in 

116
the roads between Rotnest Island
and Freemantle. The whole place
was in an uproar. There was a big
strike on. We had a number of
sick to put off. After we had put
of our Quota of Western Australians
in a dirty barge. (officers in Launches)
We then put into the Swan River
to put off our sick. Here we
received a hearty welcome from
the crews of two Japanese Warship
which were there. Our own
people were too busy strikeing
to notice us. W
We sailed for Adeliade on May
the 3^rd and arrived on May 8^th
Here again we were troubled by
strikes we were held up for two
days and finally got away on
May 10^th for Melbourne.
We arrived off the Quarintean
Station at Portsea on the morning
of May 12^th just before day light.

117
All the Victorians and Tasmanians
were taken on shore by 10 A.M. and
Quarnteaned for ten days. Our
treatment here was the very best
Splendid food and good quarters
and no work. We remaned here
for ten days, when the Victorains
went on to Melbourne on May 22^nd
and We Tasmanans went aboard

the "Rotouratana" on May 23^rd
and sailed for Davenport at 4P.M.
We had a rotten trip across the
Straits but we arrived at Davenport
at 9.30. AM on May 24^th. We got a
hearty welcome here. and the
men for Hobart were dispached by
special train at noon. This
was indeed the day we had
waited for, for so long. We
had a spread at Pamattah
and arrived at Hobart about
9.30 P.M. I was met at Moonah
by My Father & Sisters and a