August 21, 1916

Aug 21. Arrived Bailleul 8 a.m. Large manufacturing town. Went up to square and got breakfast at an hotel. Then had time to go and look at church, which is gothic and good inside. Entrain 10 a.m. and detrained near Estaires and marched to a hamlet just east of it. Typical farm country with villages strung out in scattered houses for miles along the droves and roads; all very flat, few houses and deep ditches and canals everywhere. Estaires big market town like Peterboro’ surrounded by canals and very uninteresting; shops bad and no restaurants.

[Bailleul was utterly devastated by artillery fire and fell into German hands until it was recaptured later in the year (late August/early September). 1914-1918.net]