Saturday 1 June “I have forgotten to mention my kitten, which we had found on our arrival at Bergues. Though I had left everything else behind, I had brought it with me and still held it inside my battle dress; poor thing, it was so frightened by the gunfire that it lay quietly against me without making an effort to move.”

Sunday 2 June “We lined up in the water and as the empty rowing boats returned to the shore, parties of us waded out to them... I think the paddle steamer we boarded was called the ‘Maid of Kent’, but I am not sure, and I did not care much...Presently the orderly came and took me down to a cabin where a bunk had been cleared...When he woke me we were in Ramsgate harbour... I dressed slowly and was the last man off the boat...I had still got my kitten but otherwise had nothing...We were home.”