Off to foreign lands....
Prior to Reg's time on the front lines, like so many of the first AIF, their experiences mirrored those of a tourist travelling to foreign places and lands, new and fascinating. Lieutenant Harrington's letters refer many times to the interesting and extraordinary sights he witnessed. En-route to Egypt he wrote about his very first exposure to people and places across the seas:
'Sunday 15th November 1914:
Ceylon in sight in going on deck this morning and all hands are fairly excited the first land since leaving dear old Australia a fortnight ago. All morning we steamed along the coast, not near enough to recognize the vegetation, and we passed numerous native fishing boats or catamarans as they are called and funny things they are. Each boat being manned by 3 or 5 Ceylonese, who wear a fig leaf and a turban. Came to anchor in Roadstead off Colombo at 10 o'clock a.m. and near enough to get a grand view of trees and a portion of the city.
The scenery through the telescope is really fine and I should love to land and have a look around. Everybody who is not on duty is spending their time hanging over the side or gazing through field glasses at the town and of the latter I have done a good deal. So have the officers. One poor beggar thought he would not live to see it and was buried off the Africa coast this morning.
Monday 16th November 1914:
Colombo at night as seen from the transports looks lovely and we would all dearly like to get on shore and look around. It must be great on shore and would be well worth a trip . This morning the thing most noticed by me was the presence of numerous butterflies, all sorts shapes and sizes and of beautiful colors, they were really lovely and one could easily fancy what they would be like on shore. Red ones with black or fawn wings, pure white, yellow, black and red ones, spotted and salmony colored ones, it is past to state the blend of colors but one could watch them a long time without getting tired.'
And as our 2022 group begin their WW1 journey across the former European battlefields, we too play the role of tourists as we soak up the regional differences of the places we visit. Obviously our world is a globalized one, with many recognizable features like those in our own homeland. However as we begin our adventure, we immerse ourselves in those things that are different or unusual, just like Reg did 108 years ago.
The back lanes behind the Amiens Cathedral are recounted by Sebastian Faulks in his iconic WW1 novel ' Birdsong'.
(Photo credit: Julie Reece 25th September , 2022)
'The Boulevard Du Cange was a broad, quiet street that marked the eastern flank of the city of Amiens...The Azaires' house showed a strong formal front towards the road from behind iron railings.' (page 3)
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