I really think we
were afraid to voice our hopes aloud lest Fate should overhear us, and
if the word "France" was mentioned by accident we all immediately
touched wood, a handy pal's head serving the purpose.

When we took train for Alexandria our hearts beat almost to suffocation
and it was only when the troop-ship cleared the harbor, and eager eyes
watching the compass saw her course was set N.W., that we gave a cheer,
feeling that at last we might have a chance to show our mettle with the
Canadians and Tommies, where the biggest fight was raging.

Before we left the wharf our kits were inspected and cut down to
absolutely the minimum weight. Transport space was limited, but it
broke many of our hearts to part with the sweater "Phyllis" made. We
could only keep two pairs of socks; some boys had at least fifty. In
one boy's pack there was a red pair and he was thereafter always known
as "Coldfeet." No one wept at leaving Egypt, and France held all the
fruit of our dreams.

CHAPTER XVIII

FIRST DAYS IN FRANCE . . .

We had some excitement crossing from Alexandria to Marseilles, and the
troop-ship ahead of us was torpedoed, though no lives were lost. But
it was great to see our watch-dog of a destroyer chase after the
submarine. The transport I was on was going over twenty-two knots, but
the destroyer passed us as though we were standing still. The captain
of our ship said she was doing forty-seven knots. At any rate, she
rammed the submarine and must have appeared, through their periscope,
just as a huge wave.

How excited those French people were over us Australians! They pelted
us with flowers and sweets, and, while no one objected to the embraces
of the girls, we thought it a bit too much when the men as well threw
their arms around us and kissed us on both cheeks. French customs were
new to us, and some of the boys thought the men were crazy.

We weren't allowed much time to enjoy the gayeties of this lovely
French seaport, but were marched off to the train and sent north to the
big show. We thought we had never seen such lovely scenery as the
south of France. I am not going to say that we have not just as good
in Australia, but the wonderful greenness and the trees were such a
change to us after Egypt that the boys just hung from the
carriage-windows, and as there was a good number that could not get
these vantage-points, they scrambled onto the roofs of the carriages,
so as not to miss