What would I have been like had I been one of them?
At Boulogne we lunched at the "Mony" (my companion, Aikman, had been to France before during the war and knew a few things).

It was an excellent lunch, and, as we were not to report at G.H.Q.till the next day, we walked about looking at lorries and trains, all going off to the unknown, filled with humanity in khaki weighed down with their packs.
[Illustration: II.

_The Bapaume Road._] The following morning at breakfast at the "Folkestone Hotel" we sat (p.

013) at the next table to a Major with red tabs.

He did not speak to us, but after breakfast he said: "Is your name Orpen ?" "Yes, sir," said I.
"Have you got your car ready ?" "Yes, sir," said I."Well, you had better drive back with me.