Soon after this we entrained and a few hours later
we were settled for the night in a rest [camp at South*
ampton. At nine the following morning we marched
through town once more and went on board a U-boat
to take us across the Channel and into the fight The
U-boats didn't cut much figure then and they could take
troops across the Channel in daylight without much

«

danger of accident

It was a rough passage and although it took us only
about four hours to make it, the rails on all three decks
were thickly lined with brawny Scotchmen proving
that their skirts advertised women's stomachs, at least
You never will be" able to guess how sick that bunch
was. If the trenches were any worse than the Channel,
every man in the battalion was willing to go back
home and let Fritz conquer the earth if he wanted to.
The sight of Boulogne was the most welcome thing
in the world. The quay was thickly covered with
people all cheering us wildly. In those days France
was glad to see any body of troops that might assist
in preserving their country from the hands of the Hun.
As we disembarked the crowd went wild. Women
rushed up to us, threw their arms around us and with
tears streaming down their cheeks, kissed us. This
was not bad at all. Several mighty attractive French



KISSED INTO FRANCE 53

girls had kissed me and I was rather enjoying it But
all at once an old man came up and before I knew
what he was up to, had kissed me on each cheek.
