September 3rd 1914. Leaving England

September 3^rd Thursday

Went and had a bathe in the Hornsey Road Baths and then went down to the Seven Sisters and Holloway Roads, to make various purchases such as socks and shirts which were necessary.  Went home and made myself presentable and then had dinner.  After that said good-bye to all for the last time and then rushed off to report at Headquarters, was ½ hour late but did not care.  Crowds of people are waiting outside barracks, weeping and trying to get a last sight of their relatives.  As is usual many of the old soldiers were drinking hard.  

After roll-call and being checked we were allowed out for 2 hours, but I did not go home again, so my chums and I went to find a teashop and had a light tea.  Then explored the back streets of City Road to pass the time away.  barracks at 5.00pm.  About 8.00pm Capt Stilwell and Lieut Stanham (Officers of G Company) bid us goodbye as they had other work to do, and then handed over command to Lieut Saunders.

Companies paraded and lay down in long lines, waiting to move.  In the meantime, they gave us bread and jam to eat.