On January 25rd, I met the Hookham family, including Jack and we all had dinner at the Monico, followed by an evening at the Gaiety Theatre where we enjoyed that comic opera “Going up.” I then went to Putney for the night and day when I said farewell and returned to the Australian Club. On January 25th in the early morning, I returned to France and by midday I was at Boulogne, where I put up for the night at the Officers Club.

I had returned to France three days earlier than was necessary and it was my intention to visit Paris if I could possibly manage to get there. I did not possess any leave warrant entitling me to visit Paris, but by illegally obtaining a ticket and by outflanking the piquet at the barriers, I was able to obtain a seat on the Paris train next day. The train left Boulogne at 10.30 am and until I reached Amiens I had no trouble at all. At Amiens, all tickets were checked, and any one not entitled to go on was generally put off the train. I, however, knew the run of the ropes and got out of the carriage whilst the inspection was taking place and when my carriage was passed, reentered it. I arrived at Paris about 4 pm and put up at a hotel near the Gare-du-Nord, had dinner and went to bed.

Next day, I commenced sightseeing which of necessity was of a superficial character. Having only two or three days to spare, I was not able to exhaustively see all the sights of Paris, and so set out to cram as much into my few days as possible. Between the hours of eating and sleeping, I managed to see the following places, which for description one must turn to the guide book. I saw the Gare-du-Nord, Gare du Lyons, Gare du L’Est, the Louvre, Garden Tuilleries, The Hotel De Ville, The Opera House, The Bourse, Bastille, Trocadero, Place of Fine Arts, Grand Palace, The Wales of Paris, The Arch of Triumph, Cyclorama, Madelein, Eiffel Tower and Wheel, Place de Republique, Palace Etoile, Place Concord, Chamber of Deputies, Port de Versailles, Notre Dame, Champ Elysee, Quay D’Orsay and several other buildings and places of minor importance and beauty.

I visited the various cafes in search of refreshment, walked all over Paris in order to study the beautiful streets and boulevards. I journeyed in motor buses and trams and even travelled from point to point on the underground railways, and in fact endeavoured to do in three days, what it would more fittingly take a month to do at leisure.

Altogether I reaped a jumbled up impression of the magnificence of Paris, and there is no doubt why it has earned such a brilliant reputation for beauty. The beautiful architecture, the wide scientifically laid out boulevards planted with trees, the speed of the taxis, the courtesy one meets at every turn, the cleanliness of the streets, the historical stories and legends attached to the monuments and squares, the immorality, or is it “broadmindedness” of the city, all made their separate impression on my poor littler brain, leaving me in a state of wonder at the magnificence of the creations of man. During my flying visit to Paris, the weather was extremely cold and during the second night there was a slight fall of snow, which covered the streets. By 10 o’clock the snow had all been cleared away, by hundreds of men and women with rakes and carts. My visit ended by my catching a return train to Boulogne at midday on January 29th, at which place I arrived after a weary trip, at 9.30 pm and put up as usual at the Officers Club. Next morning at 7.30 am I joined the Cologne “Express” for Charleroi. The journey took a matter of 24 hours, and the route was via Arras, Valenciennes, and Mons and at last ended. I then returned to Walcourt by train, and Walked the remaining 3 kilometres to Pry where the battalion still remained in billets as I had left it.

On February 2nd, another draft left the battalion for England and this one included Lt. Sharpe, S.C.M. Cooke, and Sgt. Tarrant who were all old comrades in whom I had learned to trust. The battalions of the Brigade had by this time dwindled down until it had been found necessary to combine the 17th and 18th under one command, the 19th having been absorbed whilst at Vignacourt by the remaining battalions in the Brigade. In the 20th Battalion, “B” and “C” companies were also amalgamated and so also were “A” and “B” making two companies only. Nothing much took place to break the monotony of our existence and only for the Occasional football matches, time would have dragged very much indeed. On February 4th, the 20th Btn played a match with the 7th, again winning rather easily by 8 to nil.