Report from the Front: The Great War diary of Jack Halstead

Published: 6:58 PM July 2, 2008

Updated: 2:35 AM February 23, 2021

Parade for leave. Marched five miles to Le Havre. Waited at station. Arrived at Rouen at 10am. Marched to rest camp by river. Walk in City. Needless to say we enjoyed ourselves. Entrained again at 4.30pm. Arrived at Boulogne. Embarked at 3pm. Two hour tri

Parade for leave. Marched five miles to Le Havre. Waited at station.

Arrived at Rouen at 10am. Marched to rest camp by river. Walk in City. Needless to say we enjoyed ourselves. Entrained again at 4.30pm.

Arrived at Boulogne. Embarked at 3pm. Two hour trip. Sea calm. Arrived Waterloo at 8pm and stayed the night at the King's Cross Hotel.

(Jack Halstead in his diary does not recall the time he spent in Royston while on leave).

Up at 4.30am. Train left at 6.30am to Dover. Up to camp by castle. A long climb, but had a stroll around the town. Embarked 3pm, arriving Boulogne 5.30pm. During march up to St Martin's camp, two of us broke away from party.