Diary transcript of Reginald Harriman Heywood, 1918-1919 - Part 5

40                                    

16.11.18.   Rode 10 Kilos thro' Bohain to H.Q. at Busigny where

I collected about 6 days mail and a few other odds and ends.

Saw Jimmie and as far as we can make out the Aust. Corps. 

less the 3rd Div. are down for a 300 mile trek by road thro' 

France, Belgium and Germany to Coblenz. In spite of the

intense cold it was an interesting ride. There is further

evidence of the awful hammering Fritz has had and it seems

queer to be in a country that he has occupied for so long. The

civilians are a sorry sight tho'.
17.11.18    Rode over to H.Q. again but things are still in the

air, tho' we are to start within the next fortnight and have

got orders to be ready to move on 24 hrs. notice. If it was

only summer this trip would be a real picnic, but it isn't 

summer, nor will it be a picnic tho' the censorship rules are

relaxed and cameras all allowed to be used.
More to the point is the fact that I may get away on

leave prior to the move.
Saw some Fritzes grubbing up a big mine on the railway

50 yards from here so he's evidently making an attempt to carry

out the terms tho' a few odd mines have gone up around here !

The only unfortunate part about them from my point of view

is that Darkie will burst out into that pathetic little song

"Don't go down the mine Daddy - let it come up to you."
18.11.18   Had a bit of a ride round the 4th Bde. to-day, such a

nice day for a ride too as we had our first fall of snow.

What with the 'flu and the move I haven't seen much of the Bde.

lately.
We don't want too many cripples on hand to start a

300 mile trip with, tho' it is still possible that we go by

train to the German border.
The 3rd Div. are staying behind and are going to

tour Paris and goodness knows where else - how old Monash

has nursed them.
19.11.18. Old Solf has sent out another whining epistle to

Pres. Wilson asking for food. For a people that have been

sinking food ships for the past four years they're a bit hot.
Reminds me of the youth who murdered his parents and

then appealed for mercy on the grounds of being an orphan.

However/

However they are handing over their Navy which will be a bit

of a help.
Jimmie turned up to-day in the G's car and we went on a 

hurried tour round the 4th Bde. We are to move on the 21st, do

a four days' trek to Belgian border, then entrain and travel

 across to the Hun frontier.
20.11.18.   Still humbugging about and don't know exactly when we move 

but suppose arrangements for a move like this must necessarily

be pretty complicated. However I never worry as long as rations

and fuel are in sight, what's the use.
My Blighty pass has come to hand but goodness knows when I'll

be able to avail myself of it. It is dated Dec. 3 so if we do

happen to be near a railhead about the end of the month I'll have

a pleasant trip of about four or five days in the train down to

the Coast.
21.11.18 The march to the Rhine has commenced and to-day the 13th Bde.

started for the Priches area where the Div. is to concentrate

prior to entraining for the German frontier.
Fritz has handed over the first batch of 20 submarines.
Some time during the night a batch of 70 odd horses arrived

from the 5th Div. On paper we are on the move so I couldn't

admit them as our supplies are being held at the other end by

the 14th. Coy. To further complicate matters the supply train

didn't turn up at all to-day. However I stirred myself round

and managed to get the horses and men (30/- put up and fed) Then

I got Corps thro' 4th Bde. sigs: and fixed everything up most

satisfactorily.
22.11.18  Tomorrow we are to move on to the Priches - La Groise area,

but I will be missing as another pass has come for me for the

26th. I'm not looking forward to the trip tho' as I've noticed

a party of the Fresney Stn. who have been waiting for the leave 

trains since 6.28 this morning and its near 4 p.m.
We've fed and redirected several more batches of men and 

animals from the 5th Div. to-day.
23.11.18. Saw the Section packed up and on the road and then repaired

to the station to wait for the train (about 7.30 a.m.) which up

to 10.30 had not put in an appearance. Then I made use of my 
very/

                                                                                 

very excellent French and found there was an agglomeration of

cattle trucks and an engine for civilians leaving for Amiens

toute-a-l'heure.  We meandered thro' the H'burg line, St.

Quentin, Ham, where the country is very pretty and arrived

at Amiens about 8 p.m.  Thawed out a bit over a good dinner

at the Hotel de la Paise and put up at the Church Army rest

house.

16.11.18.  Pitched a horrible tale to the R.T.O. at Amiens and he

provided me with a chit which enabled me to travel down to

Boulogne on the Paris-Calais express.  Its a great train with

dining car attached, so had a great trip especially as I had

for company several Yank officers.

I broke all the rules and regulations at Picquigny and

leaned perilously from the window.  Several of the girls waved

frantically to me but I couldn't see if Madeline was there.

Put up very comfortably at the Officers Rest House and

altogether am feeling very pleased tonight.  A French lady told

me "We always say the Australians are the best troops in France" -

"the Canadians are good too but not so good as the Australians".

A Yankee officer said "I never say anything like the way your

sons of guns hopped over thro' us on Sept. 25 - they beat the band

believe muh", and finally a tommy major shouted at me in front

of a room full of officers "Hello Orstralia I was with your Corps

in May, June, July and August - the finest Corps I ever was in -

the finest corps ever any one was in".  Knew what he was talking

about that tommy.

Now I come to think of it we stood on the danger mark at the 

junction of the French and British armies during all those black

weeks.  We stopped Fritz originally in front of Amiens and then

never gave him any peace till Aug.8. when with the Canuks we

opened the final act and drove him back 30 miles over the Somme,

over the H'burg line and setting him well on the way for where

he belongs.  Excuse the booming but the boys that do the business

never boom themselves so its up to some one.

25.11.18. I'm a day ahead of the game, so spent it wandering around

Boulogne mainly haunting the railway stn. in the hopes 

Madeline would blow in.

I know she has her passport so I called on the vice-consul

but he couldn't tell me anything.  He is a very decent old bird

and reminded me very much of old Grandpa Harriman - just as

pronounced in his views and as violent in expressing them.

Boulogne is a very nice and interesting little town,

especially now they have turned the lights on again.

26.11.18. Embarked at 9.30 and had a good trip over - with

no escort this time as the bulk of Fritz's U boats are in 

Harwich harbour.  The train trip up to Victoria took a

couple of hours so we weren't in till dinner time.  The

train was a very sumptuous onex - evidently designed to make

one look forward to the four or five days trip back in

cattle trucks.

Went straight to Mrs. Larking's and was most relieved

to dump my hundred weight or so of souvenirs.  They have been

a great source of worry to me all these months - I wouldn't

lose them for a whole lot.

Being in civilisation makes me realise that I've

absolutely run right out of clothes and the barest necessities.

I hope I won't - as Darkie fears - throw my egg

shells or chop bones on the floor.

27.11.18. Called on Mr Treadaway and received from him a

severe reprimand and dissertation on the probable ultimate

fate of those who fail to acknowledge receipt of correspondence &c. and also a budget of mail from home.  I also gave

him one or two little souvenirs, a very inadequate return

for his many kindnesses to me.

Spent the rest of the day collecting the wherewithal

to appear with a moderate degree of decency in the streets.

London isn't what you'd call exactly attired like

all the pansies of the conservatory, but is certainly much

brighter than when I was last here.

.11.18     Still in London and observe the dates - some wangle

   to         eh! Was determined to see Mr. Blob who was expected from

.12.18     Holzminden any day - hence frequent visits to Horseferry Road

and an extension of leave more or less as advertised above.

Had a great time in London in a quiet way as I find I'm

getting rather too old to lead the giddy and strenuous life.

Still I like to see the young people enjoying themselves and

I went for this reason to the following:- Hullo America

(Twice) Going Up, As you Were, Soldier Boy, Bing Boys on

Broadway, twice to the Palladium and to a few odds and ends.

Did quite a lot of shopping, spent some days acquiring sorting labelling and packing my photographs and souvenirs which 

Mr. Treadway is sending home for me per Duesdin and Sainbury's - and there you are. The rest of the time I spent

in bed or running into old pals including Phil and Jack

Reynolds, "Ants" Anthony returned from 26 months in Germany,

Bill McGregor, Gerry Lloyd, Fred. Angel and Arthur Mann

returning to Australia, Colin Johnstone who has lost a leg,

Cyril McKenna and numerous others. Mac expects to return 

to the 4th Div. in about a month, and I hope his expectation

is fully realized.

Madeline turned up on Dec. 5, and I met her at Victoria

It did look a pathetic little figure coming off the leave train with hundreds of tommies and a large brown parcel under

one arm containing her worldly possessions. A smaller

parcel under the other arm contained some generous slices of

bread (dry) - in case she couldn't get any rations in London.

I think or anyway hope I managed to cheer her up during her

couple of days' stay with Mrs. Larking - she had a pretty 

busy time.

On Sat: eve: I piloted her (with only a measure of

success) to Euston station where we caught by great good

luck the 8.35. for Kilmarnock which took us till 8.30 a.m.

Sunday to reach.

I couldn't find an interpreter and don't know Scotch

but managed to procure a cab which took us at an unholy speed

to St. Hilliers Grange Tce: the abode of one Mrs. Watson- 

Madeline's war mother. We soon got to know the Watson

family who are wonderfully nice but appallingly Scotchbyterian.

Despite our 12 hours in the train they were going to

take us to Church as a special treat. We sidestepped that

but couldn't get out of being shown the Burn's memorial.

Returned to the Big Smoke the next morning and put in

                                                                    another/

another week waiting for Mr. Blob who eventually reached his

headquarters at the Strand Palace on Monday 16th so after all

we had a bit over day together. He didn't have such a

bad spin in Holzminden but looks trained a bit on the fine

side and considerably older.

18.12.18   Mr Blob escorted me to Victoria where I caught the 7.35 a.m.

train for Folkestone. This train most conveniently missed

the boat so put in the most of the day wandering round the

town, which wasn't altogether a hardship.

Got aboard and under way some time during the afternoon,

and the trip across was about the liveliest thing that's

happened for some time.

I've never been sick at sea, but had all the symptoms

this time, and was the only one in sight that wasn't sick. It

was with a wild unholy glee I stepped ashore at Boulogne.

Didn't even bother to see the R.T.O. but dug in at the Club.

19.12.18     Reached Dinant (Belg) at 6 p.m. on 22nd inst. When I

    to           tell you in the course of the past few days I have visited

22.12.18    Boulogne (thrice) Amiens (Twice), Paris, Calais, Chareroi,

Brussels, Namur and Dinant, passing thro' Etaples, St. Pol,

Arras, Lille, Liege, Mons etc. etc. you will understand that

my wildest imaginings of the difficulties connected with

returning to the Section have been amply surpassed. Don't ask

me how it was done - I dunno! What I do know is that we

didn't board anything resembling in any way a troop train, nor

did we buy anything with the semblance of a ticket.

Wish I were gifted that way, and I could tell you all

about my 57th Bn. pal whom I started the tour with, and who
told me during dinner at Boulogne that he's only has two meals

during the last 24 hours, one down in Folkestone and one up/on
route for Boulogne . I lost him on our second appearance in
Amiens - he found a place with a piano , produced a book of

songs and refused to be moved. Name unknown - but a good pal

and I was sorry to lose him as he had a most naive but highly

effective method of explaining away to French train conductors

the difficulties connected with having no tickets.

Then I went onto partnership with a big Canadian - name

also unknown. He was burdened down with worry in the shape

of a turkey which was due at his mess somewhere in Germany.

Then he had explained to me for about the 100th time that he

wouldn't worry except for the said carcase I suggested we

should eat it, so we had it cooked and demolished it at Calais.

Then his troubles ended,  he would insist on getting on a train

bound/

 

bound as far as I could gather for Havre, so we parted and 'that's the last I saw of him.

Finally there was the little "Tommy". Michael O'Dowd

by name that I found with his batman, who had lost the valise

containing their worldly goods some 14 days previously by the

wayside at Calais waiting for a train to Lille.

I also had visions of this little Lille outfit but had heard

a rumour of a special train for Cologne from Boulogne. The

Lille train was then some 7 hours late, as there was some

talk of a train for Boulogne ( also some hours behind hand) we

decided to board whichever came first.

Fortunately Boulogne won and we arrived there in time

to dine at the Club and catch the Boulogne-Cologne express:

beds, meals and a bar provided - as the worthy O'Dowd would

keep remarking "pigs in clover, what!"

We certainly had some slight differences getting the

batman on board, but eventually got away with the goods: tho'

considering he had lost the valise I didn't see that it

mattered much whether he was included or not.

We were allotted berths in Coach O. but Australians

have a way of drifting together and it wasn't long before we

were all ( including Oscar Rigg and Birdie Heron ) together with

my little Tommy, and a very drunken Highlander in Coach M.

That night was the night alright.  Fritz made a proper job

of the line alright and from Arras to Mons every bridge

crossing and culvert signal post, points, and in fact every

second railhas been blown up.

Little things like that don't count now-a-days tho'

and for some time there has been a double track remade and

thro' to Cologne.  From Mons on things had then come our way;
the lines are quite intact and every siding and available

track is packed with German rolling stock loaded with every

kind of material - its a wonderful sight. We passed thro'

Tamines where 3,000 Belgians were slaughtered in '14.

That night I arrived at H.Q. at Dinant, where Jimmy
greeted me with open arms - Tas Morgan too, as they are the

only V.Os at present with the division which is spread over

a larger area than ever before.

Jimmy sad to say is investing largely in hotel

property -  a glass at a time.

Put up for the night with Major Robertson, S.S.O.

(late)

 

(late Robbie of the 27th Coy:) at the Hotel de la Gare.

23.12.18. Had a look round Dinant which stands in a remarkable

valley on the Meuse and is the most picturesque place I've

seen.  By the way, Charleroi and Namur are fine places,

especially Charleroi, and Brussels is the dizzy limit. 5

francs to open your mouth and 30 franc for dinner.

Dinant is one of the places sacked and ravaged in '14 -

they show you the machine gun bullets on the wall where

800 men women and children were murdered, and where the

children from 2½ yrs up were stood on the wall to afford a 

better target.  Dinant makes one wish the war had gone on 

just a little longer.

Completed the journey to the Section at Corenne with

Paymaster Mitchell in a car, and found little "Doc", Geoff
Madden and Jim O"Brien all laid up.

The 14th Coy. A.S.C. are in the same village and an  old

Sth. Yarra-ite Lt. Vassey got me a fine comfortable billet,

but a herd of cows billeted in the houses on either side of

me leave no doubt as to their hereabouts.

24.12.18.  Found I'm in charge of the 4th Infy. and 10th Aust.  F.A.

Bdes.  3 sections of D.A.C.  2 A.S.C. companies and the

Pioneer Bn.  As the Div. is spread over a larger area than

ever before and the roads are as slippery as glass I'm in

for a busy time.

Rode to Don Ac at Anthee, and put in the remainder of

the day riding to a place to visit a dead horse.

On the way back inspected a Hun 'drome containing abut

20 big Friedrichshaven bombers.  Some of the machines

(they used to bomb Paris ) were being flown by our pilots,

and while there is no mistaking their old droning hum their

music is much sweeter than it used to be.  Am going for a

trip in one.

Brownie (the Sgt.) borrowed a vehicle a cross between

a phaeton and a hearse from a Belgique and visited Dinant

returning with a case of beer, ditto of whisky, a turkey,

case of tinned fruits and numerous etceteras.  These with
plum pudding and other garnishings under Darkie's skilful

manipulation/

 

manipulation should provide a good dinner tomorrow.  By
the way they've snatched Darkey from me and he is now installed

as the section cuisinier.  Attired to taste in

white ducks and with a waxed moustache he looks the part.

25.12.18. Saw 39th Bty. at Flavion, 38th At Ostemeree, Pioneers at

Willaen, and the 110th How, Bty. at Falaen - some 30 kilos

and a good morning's ride in a frozen saddle and on Xmas day.

Presided  - in some style - at the section Xmas dinner sat

4.30, made a neatly rounded little speech and then hurried

off to diNe again with the 14th Coy. A.S.C. and 4 Belgian

damsels who couldn't speak a word of English at 6.30.  These

ladies had Venus, and Miss Pankhurst, Chloe and all the

other celebrated ladies of antiquity beaten from the jump,

and did they put away the goods? Better dinner than they 
used to get from Fritz I think, but all the same not a patch

on Darkey's effort.  Darkey should be handed down to 

posterity as one of the discoveries of the war.

26.12.18. Continued my tour of the district seeing the 4th Fld.

Amb. - whose O.C. is Lt.Col. James, Jimmie's brother - at

Florennes, the 1st Section D.A.C. at Stave, and the 2nd and

3rd Sections at Biesmeree.

The Country round about is very charming and must be

lovely in summer.  It is rather chilly for sight-seeing

tho' but I think the climate about here must be very much

milder than it was about Peronne where we were this time

last year - or perhaps it is I'm becoming acclimatised.
Spent the afternoon trying to fix up the weekly returns, but 
old Bishop has left everything in such a beautiful muddle I

gave it up as a bad job and referred the matter to my friend

the D.A.D.V.S.  How pleased he'll be especially as he wasn't

to be found yesterday and hadn't been since since 2 a.m. that

morning when he was still going strongly on hotel property.

27.12.18.  Spent the day in the office as i had to have a day or so

to recuperate from my equestrian exertions of the past three

days, and Brownie and I set to work on the demobilization

forms.  It appears that the authorities are making an honest

effort to satisfactorily deal with the repatriation and

assistance of the odd 300,000 members of the A.I.F.  The

whole/

 

whole problem is a very complex one and some people seem to

think will take from 12 to 15 months, in spite of the fact

that the '14 men are gone. June '15 men are on the point

of going and a return of  men who embarked prior to Dec '15

has been rendered, while units are to be prepared to part

with these men at short notice.  Included in the last category

are 9 of my men including all the N.C.Os. so things

are going to be very awkward for me.

Meanwhile Australia seems to have dug itself in around

this area - to await with what patience it can muster the call

to re-embark.  There are half hearted efforts to keep

the national game, Two up, going, but the only subject discussed

is the return to Australia.

28.12.18.  A steady rain and bitterly cold weather rendered imperative

another day in the office - where we made a fresh attack

on the demobilization, repatriation and educational schemes.

I find my interest in Australia, always keen, has increased

by leaps and bounds the last two days.  The people

round here are very nice, can't do enough for us, and do at

least speak French, a great contrast to the Flanders Mob.
but I think this is the most highly moral and torpid community

I was ever in.  Besides, this is the place where the old

exploded idea that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness"

receives its final death blow.  Look at my billet, for

instance.  A herd of cows billeted on either side, a platoon

of pigs at the back door, and neatly stacked on the footpath

opposite a widespread agglomeration of manure - the

bovine, porcine and domestic refuse of the whole street.  And

drainage hasn't come yet to Corenne  - yet every one appears

to be well and happy, so why worry.

29.12.18.  Have called myself so many such names for coming back

since I did come back that sometimes I blush.  I did this

morning riding oner to 4th Bde. Hqrs. at Florennes in a cold

driving rain that came thro' an oilskin like it would come

thro' the holes in a ladder.  Arrived there, Major Tovell

revived me with some "Heather Dew" so I felt better on the

way home, but at that I can't understand  a man of average

intelligence ever living there.  That reminds me that I

complete the demobilization forms, including my own, to-day.

To the question - do you desire the assistance of the

Repatriation Committee  - answering  "Yes" does not entail any 

expressed or implied obligation, so I expressed myself as 

quite/