We started off. A fig for marching at attention! That was not expected of us. We followed the railway lines. A train was just passing, the carriages decorated with flowers. Soldiers were laughing at the windows.
The 104th Argentan.
"Halloa, you chaps! Wait for us! We're going on foot to have a look at the Bosches!" Judsi shouted.
We halted farther on in a field by the roadside. Suddenly a whistle was blown, and the word was passed round that the captain was there!
In the twinkling of an eye we were formed up again and got into line as well as might be.
Delafosse, the first lieutenant, gave the order:
"Present ... arms!"
Captain Ribet rode up, mounted on a beautiful grey mare. He was a tall spare man with a crisp moustache and very bright eyes. An ex-officer in the regulars; we knew he had retired when quite young after having won the légion d'honneur.
He saluted, and without any preliminaries pointed imperiously at the first section.