3rd September 1914

3.9.14  Leave CUISY at 7 am. Very hot day, beautiful country. Pass a point 38 kilometres from Paris. Bridges behind us being blown up. We are apparently passing the east flank of Paris. Biplanes have been seen daily. Crossed the MARNE 11.40 am. Passed ESBLY, ST. GERMAIN, COULOMMIERS. Firing on German aeroplane almost overhead and brought down.

One road we passed over this day was exceptionally beautiful. The ground on either side sloped gently down and as we passed under the thick avenue of trees, fine stretches of wood and dale, golden cornfields and fruitful orchards were passed with the spires of churches and nestling farmhouses. The rise on which the road lay giving a long distance view most enchanting.

The farmers' wagons formed like huge boxes smaller at the bottom than at the top, loaded with hay, grain, straw etc, with a crowd of people sitting on the top and drawn by the glossy coated farm horses, added a fine touch to the scene, alas too soon to be clouded by the inevitable column of Artillery, Cavalry or motor train rushing to pass our column, with the clouds of suffocating dust to blind the eye and parch the throat and with the boom of artillery on the flanks once more to bring one back from this brief picture of peace to the terrible reality of war.