On leaving Rheims we passed through various small hamlets where the
houses had been entirely destroyed, and which now had the appearance of
native villages, as the soldiers had managed to place thatched roofs on
any building which had a semblance of walls standing.

At Villars Côterets the Garde Champêtre sounded the "Gare à Vous!" Four
Taubes were passing overhead, so we took refuge in the hotel for tea.
The enemy did no damage in that particular village, but in the next
village of Crêpy-en-Valois a bomb killed one child and injured five
women.

At his headquarters next morning I had the honour of being received by
the Generalissimo Joffre, and telling him of the admiration and respect
which we felt for him and for the magnificent fighting spirit of the
troops under his able command. He replied modestly by speaking of the
British Army. He referred to the offensive on the Somme, and said, "You
may well be proud of your young soldiers--they are excellent soldiers,
much superior to the Germans in every way, a most admirable infantry;
they attack the Germans hand to hand with grenades or with the bayonet,
and push them back everywhere; the Germans have been absolutely
_stupefied_ to find such troops before them." The General then paid a
tribute to the Canadian and Australian troops, and told me that that day
the Australians had taken new territory, adding, "And not only have they
taken it, but like their British and Canadian brothers, what they take
they will hold."

I explained to General Joffre that, whilst I was not collecting
autographs, I had with me the menu of the dinner in the citadel at
Verdun, and that it would give me great pleasure to have his name added