Three more days passed at Montigny-le-Tilleuil and then the great day arrived when on April 15th, I was included in draft quota No. 35 to return to England prior to embarkation for Australia. I was Officer in Charge of the 20th Battalion men which at 12 o’clock paraded at the Square near the Church. There was the usual farewelling and tears of the Mademoiselles and Madames, who had come to love and like our men, and altogether the scene could be described as one of happiness and sorrow combined.

Marching along in column of route, in full marching order the Brigade draft arrived two hours later at “B” div Camp at Charleroi where we camped for the night. At 7.30 am next day the whole of quota NO. 33, including our 5th Brigade draft and other drafts of the 2nd division assembled in parade order at the Charleroi station and then entrained in the usual cattle truck train, 25 men to a truck with 3rd class carriages for officers. The trucks were each fitted with a stove and comforts were distributed to each truck, together with 3 blankets per man. Plenty of rations were supplied, so that our 36 hours monotonous rumble and rattle across France was accomplished in a fairly comfortable manner.

At last we arrived in the neighbourhood of Le Havre and after the gear had been loaded into lorries, by Chinese coolies or labourers, the quota marched the remaining six kilometres to the base camp at Le Havre. On the trip down, two issues of rum had been given the men, whilst cooked food had been supplied at kitchens as we passed certain towns en route, so that the men were in good fettle when we arrived. At the camp the men were handed over to the camp staff and were bathed, given a complete new uniform etc. and handed in all equipment and rifles. After this they were removed to another camp so as to ensure their cleanliness until they sailed for England.

We remained a further three days at Le Havre Base Camp during which time I visited he Havre itself, attended a concert in camp by the 42nd Div. concert troupe, visited the picture show and a concert by G.A. Hby(?) orchestra and so had quite a good time of it. At 2 pm on the following Sunday, the quota was embussed in motor lorries and were transported to the pier, I being in charge of a detachment of the 5th A.M.C. for the trip across. We then went aboard the S.S. Western Australia and at 6 p.m. sailed for Southampton. The trip across lasted nine hours through the night but as were each supplied with three blankets, the time was mostly spent in sleep.