11TH OCT. 1915: TASTING FRENCH COOKERY IN ROUEN BEFORE THE FRAY.

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT, Convalescent Camp Rouen, POSTCARD of Rouen -Vue Generale to Monsieur BASILLE HIBBETT, Foden Road, Walsall, Staffordshire, England. (Blighty).

11.10.1915.

Rouen. 1915. PC to Ida Oct . 1915. from Bertie Hibbett. — **ROUEN Vue Generale, prise de la Cote Sainte-Catherine.. PC to Basil Hibbett from Bertie. 11th October, 1915.**

I don’t feel so happy as the average Tommy might think I ought to feel. I feel I ought to be in THE thing again – in the fray. Yet I had somewhat of a good time tasting French cookery in Rouen on Friday night (1). A very large place is Rouen. Note the navigable river.

Best love to all. I had three letters this morning. See other PC. (2)

Bertie.

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(1) Friday 8th Oct. when Pte Bertie got his pass out of Rouen Base Camp.

(2) Pte Bertie Hibbett was on his way back up the Line to Bethune & Hohenzollern Redoubt by the time this PC was censored & posted on 13th October 1915 (renewal of Battle of Loos/ Hohenzollern Redoubt).

Note O.A.S (On Active Service); the words on the card ‘The way to Blighty or –‘ and the addition of ‘Blighty’ in the address. Bertie knows he will be up the Line very soon & fears he may not see his Home again.

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Corp. SYDNEY HIBBETT & 1/5th SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY

L’ECLEME (4)

3rd – 5th October. In Billets.

NB. Corp. Sydney Hibbett returned from 10 days Home Leave on 5th Oct.

6th Oct. Wed: Marched at 10.15 a.m. to VAUDRICOURT near BETHUNE and went into Billets.

VAUDRICOURT 7th to 11th Oct. In Billets.

(4) L’Ecleme, near Lillers, is 6.5 miles (10.8 km) NW of Bethune. Vaudricourt is 2.5 miles (3.7 km) S of Bethune. (A March of 9 miles approx). Practically all British soldiers serving on the Western Front passed through Bethune, a Medieval cum coal mining town, 8 miles from the Western Front; practically flattened in 1918.