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Age
17 Years

11th May 1940

Rate of exchange = 24/8 fr £1. I found it very strange to be able to have a full night’s sleep, I woke up quite early though, so that I could see what was going on. I went ashore directly after breakfast, I went straight up the main street — “Queen’s Street” — looking in all the shops, and seeing the show things. The exterior’s of the shops are very much the same as those in England, but the interiors are far better, in the majority of cases. The quality of stuff looks much better, and they make the windows far more interesting than at home. I mean, nearly every hundred yards. Milk bars are seen, Picture Places are also very numerous, indeed they manage to get very new films here. Better than at home, all broadcasting is done by records, so songs are pretty ancient. They have dirty old tram cars, but new trolly-buses. Most of the cars are American, and I think nearly everybody breaks the speed limit. They slow down for corners, and I have seen three very near things in the way of accidents. I have already been accosted by three to drunkards, but I’m beginning to know how to handle that now!! All the men off the “Achilles” are here, and the “Achilles” herself is very close to us. Some chap asked me if I could help him get aboard a merchant ship as a carpenter. His parents live in Cornwall, and he wanted to get back for a bit, as he is due to be called up in August. I also met a lot of the stokers, his friends off “Achilles”. He told me quite a bit.

MEMORANDA of Mr. Eden MEMORANDA at end of diary.