1918 Breakfast at Russell Hotel Nov 15 Caught the boat train at Victoria by good luck in securing a taxi - Bright day - Good crossing. I heard that 2nd Cdn Div. is about to march on the Rhine. Slept and dined at Hotel de Paris Boulogne. 16. Entertained ahq.am very cold frosty & bright. Train crowded & uncomfortable - Lunch by Arras Douai & Loumain - changed at Caller place & detrained at RHISMES near Valencieuves at about 3 A.M. miserable journey - Slept for 3 hours on floor at ANZINGCRC & then walked thru VALENCIENNES & took motor lorry to MONS. The road full of civilians moving W. with every kind of vehicle drawn by every kind of animal - cows horses dogs then by men women & children & in all combinations. All houses & roads decked with flags of wh. there was a great display along the roads & especially in Belgium. Found Div. Hqrs on the other side of MONS in suburb. Good quarters. MONS quite d[iff?] to [?]. Instead of a mud walled village destroyed by shell fire, found a thriving town of fine shops, big plate glass windows & with electric [baws] running regularly

BC Archives, MS-2879 Box 83, File 1/ CREASE FAMILY, "Diary of the War", diary and scrapbook of Arthur Douglas Crease, 1915-1919.