55

Neuf-Berquin to Billets La Maison Blanc

at Neuf Berquin -- church, old mill shelled by English 7 German officers at our billet 10-14 October -- French at Merville, English at Hazebrouch -- 32000 Germans German machine guns in

granary windows -- 75 m.m. guns threw 40 shells into the farm -- round holes -- through door. -- one shell exploded in kitchen midden & another in chimney. Told that 600 Germans buried near burnt farm close by. Move out 8 pm & march to old billeting area. -- Sleep with Dan McGregor in waggon box -- very cold & stiff Visiting old friends all day -- made very welcome everywhere

Wrote Noakes enclosing duplicate copy of will

Usual parade, but with Findley go to Steenwerck & review acquaintanceship with the Touquets, Olivers . Mme Chieux & Jeanne & old M. Charles

Battalion Parade with usual medieval drill & respirator & helmet inspection -- Told no retirement allowable on account of gas

Writing letters all my spare time today.

Write Mitchell to ascertain the steps necessary to take in order to obtain a commission in the Imperial Army

Obtain correspondent for Ada in the person of Mlle. Alida Bouquet -- a refined well educated girl of about 18 in the Bureau de Poste. (See photo pge 42) Got me in wrong with Ada as she forward a letter from me thru the French P.O. in which I had told Ada the girls in Flanders were homely as mud fences. Alida slipped a note in with my letter & enclosed her photo. She was pretty!

BC Archives, MS-0392 Box 1 Volume 4 / FRANK SWANNELL PAPERS / Diary and enclosures, 1915.