16th November 1915

Started off at 1pm with Sgt Macron of No. 9 Post and Soldat Petitot for St Riquier.  The air after snowfall was most exhilarating and the country around was looked pretty with its mantle of snow.  We made a jolly party, singing and laughing as we marched along, scuttling like rabbits behind trees to avoid the mud liberally distributed by approaching and passing motors.  Arrived at St R at 2.20.  We went to the house of Sgt M. where I was provided with a good dinner and the best of white wines.  M. Macron's warehouses were very extensive, an enormous quantity of wines and spirits are stored,  some of the vats holding as much as 50,000 litres.  The band of the 1st City of Manchester (Regt) were playing in the square of the town in the afternoon.  We visited the ancient church built 700 years ago.  Like the exterior, the interior proved most interesting, full of pictures, beautiful carving in wood and stone, statues and relics.  What appealed to me was the remarkable whiteness of the stones and pillars leading high overhead to the arched roof.  The walls in the nave and round the alter are faced with marble and marble pillars.
There is a fine specimen of an old belfry tower facing the square.  The evening was lit up by bright moonlight and it was very cold and had I not been very tired I should have enjoyed the walk home as much as the walk out.  St R. is situated on the Doullens road 8 kms from here.  We arrived back at 6.15 pm.