The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

;"CHAPTER IIFRANCE AND THE TRENCHESOct.ARKNESS had fallen when the transport glided 1915into the old port of Boulogne, which hadDbecome one of the great funnels into which menand materials were poured for the British front.Disembarking at ten o clock the Regimentmarched through the old-fashioned fishing town toSt. Martin s Camp, a large base-depot on the hillsoverlooking the town. Here the troops rested for thirtysixhours, becoming acquainted with the estaminet andcafe, tasting the raw cider, mild beer and wines ofthe country. Many saw for the first time the weatherbeatenFrenchman in his baggy corduroy trousers andheavy clogs, or the fisher-woman in her quaint whitebonnet and wooden shoes, or the teamster walking besidehis enormous two-wheeled cart drawn by a splendidtandem of native dappled Boulonnais.On October 26th the Regiment entrained at Boulogne 1915and went up the line. The men had their firstexperience of a French troop-train with its little trucks,their capacity plainly marked on the outside: "40hommes, 8 chevaux. A few first-class carriages providedfor the officers bore the marks of a year s campaigning.At every stop men were out of the trucks to stretch theirlegs or to boil water for tea. The short shrill whistle ofthe engine or a piercing blast on the guard s cowhorn sentthem scrambling reluctantly back to discomfort. AtBailleul the Regiment detrained and marched to restbillets three miles from the town, within ear-shot of theguns. This short train journey marked a third momentous move. It was more thrilling than the last and wassurpassed only by the final great stage the filethroughthe communication trench into the front line.