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53

Creil looked, with the blackened [[strikethrough]] walls its houses ^[[streets]][[/strikethrough]] ^[[buildings]], the huge holes or completely demolished walls of its houses like a town which had experienced an earthquake.  A row of buildings was almost entirely destroyed and then an isolated house stood perfectly undisturbed.

It was surely not the German guns which had done this - their famous 42 centimetre guns would have had a very different result, but most likely the little round disks which they carry & can project by means of a simple machine ignite a house where it almost immediately spreads fire & disaster.  Every German soldier carries three bags of these containing 300 each.

At 1.30 we passed through a little town called Clermont ^[[54 K. from Paris]] and there we decided to lunch.  We were in a hurry & so stopped at a small shop where they had eggs and would cook them for us at once.  Dr Gros came back with a large loaf of bread.  Phil discovered sardines, so we had an excellent & quick meal.  We had passed also on the road a [[strikethrough]] great many [[/strikethrough]] cavalry regiment & many