CHAPTER VII

MERVILLE--PERIOD IN RESERVE--GOMMECOURT--FAMPOUX

On April 2nd, as we had expected, we entrained for the south, but not till our orders had been cancelled about three times. In fact, if rumour is to be believed, we were very nearly dispatched post haste to Ypres. At any rate, at 5 p.m. we received orders for one company to entrain at Merville at once, and the remainder at 8.5 p.m. The enemy very considerately refrained from shelling the station while we entrained, though he was more attentive to some of the other units of the Division.

At 5.30 a.m. we arrived at Doullens Station, which looked somewhat dilapidated in consequence of an air raid. The station presented a scene of the greatest activity, and it was not till 7.30 a.m. that we were allowed to detrain and move out of the station. "C" Company formed the unloading party. After moving clear of the town we fell out by the roadside for breakfasts, for which, in the case of one company, a dear old lady provided a large quantity of beautiful vegetables gratis. She also gave the officers coffee and rolls, and was most indignant when offered payment. All honour be to her!

The day was warming up when we set off to march to our destination, Ivergny, and after a night in the train no one felt very energetic. We arrived there for dinner after climbing some fairly steep hills, which, coupled with the soft spring air, made everyone feel somewhat tired. The men's billets were good, the officers' poor. In striking contrast to our good lady of Doullens, we found the inhabitants very inhospitable, and many of the houses were crammed with refugees. The Commanding Officer was locked out by his occupier, and the Adjutant was calmly informed that he could not enter his house. The services of De Chauny, the Brigade Interpreter, were soon in request, and everything was settled, though not very amicably. "C" Company were very late, and it was long after dark before they rejoined us after their arduous duties at the station.

We were told that the Division was in General Headquarters Reserve, and likely to be called upon suddenly. The next day all were busied, accordingly, with checking stores and ammunition, and generally seeing that everything was up to concert pitch. The Adjutant seized the occasion of a short spell of leisure to ride over to Bouque Maison, where Colonel Harrison, our first Brigade Commander, was performing nobly the duties of Town Major, and very pleased he seemed to have news of his old Brigade.

At 5 p.m. we received orders to move at an hour's notice, and half an hour later to move at 6.30 p.m. to Grenas viâ Lucheux. As the light failed it began to rain, and at length down it came in a steady torrent, and the night was as black as pitch. The road was hilly, and, to add to our troubles, we got behind a pontoon section, which kept on blocking us; and after we had passed that we got on the heels of the Pioneer Battalion's transport, which was blessed with a jibbing team, and caused various vexatious halts. Despite these, the greatest cheerfulness and good humour prevailed, and the men sang lustily, as, indeed, they always did in the rain. We reached Grenas, which was just across the Arras--Doullens road, at 11.30 p.m., and eventually got the men, wet and tired, into quite fair billets.

The Brigadier, with his usual kindness, invited several of the officers in to supper about 1 a.m.; and it was on that occasion that the Commanding Officer perpetrated on the Brigade Gas Officer his famous joke about the new green container for the small box-respirator. It was briefly this: Seeing the Brigade Gas Officer come in, the Commanding Officer asked him when the new green container was being issued, for, as he argued, no other container was proof against the new gas. The Gas Officer, suspecting nothing, replied that it was due shortly, and proceeded the next day to make inquiries from his senior at Division. It is rumoured that the inquiry spread thence to the Corps and Army Chemical Advisers, and from there to the highest authorities. It need hardly be added that the quest was in vain!

Before we retired to rest we were told that we must always be ready to move at one hour's notice between 6 a.m. and 12 noon, and at two hours' notice at other times. At 8 a.m. on April 5th the Commanding Officer and the four Company Commanders, exclusive of the two who were to be left out with the surplus "battle personnel"--or "those in the lifeboat" as the saying went--proceeded by motor lorry to reconnoitre the Purple Line in the vicinity of Monchy au Bois, Ransart, and Ficheux, south of Arras.

The battalion meantime was engaged in such training as could be done in the immediate vicinity of billets, with everything kept constantly packed for an immediate departure. On April 7th sixty men arrived as a draft, and N.C.Os. were hastily told off to instruct them in the way they should go; and on the following day Lieutenant Reed, M.O.R.C., U.S.A., relieved Lieutenant Sullo as Medical Officer. At 10 a.m. that day we resumed our journey, passing through the outskirts of Doullens, and going into billets at Beauval.

As usual, the next morning at 8 a.m. the Commanding Officer and Company Commanders were sent off to reconnoitre the Red Line near Authie; and while they were away the battalion was ordered to proceed to Beauquesne, but this was cancelled. Next morning, at 8 a.m., a lorry arrived once more to carry the Commanding Officer and his Company Commanders, this time to the Purple Line, near Gommecourt and Fonquevillers. All that day the Battalion was waiting to move off, but nothing came of it.

April 11th was spent in schemes for the defence of a village, which those in authority thought we should be more than likely to have to put into real practice before very much longer. We heard this day, to our wrath, that the Divisional Dump at Estaires had been captured by the enemy. This included many of our records, innumerable gramophones, including one expensive instrument received by Captain Eccles the day we were ordered to send in our surplus stores, and many other articles of priceless value. However, there was little time for lamentation, as we were ordered back to Grenas once more. It was a bright, fine day, and we had quite a pleasant march.

As we passed through Doullens for the third time, a German aeroplane passed over very high up, and a rifleman was heard to remark that all our marching and counter-marching must be intended to bluff the enemy. Really it almost seemed like it at the time. Ever since we left Fleurbaix we had been more or less continuously on the move, often re-traversing old ground, and seldom staying more than a night or two in one place. The real explanation was that another great German offensive was thought to be imminent, and our Division, who were the counter-attacking force, had to be placed where the situation, which varied daily, demanded our presence. That kind of life very soon becomes tedious, as everything you want is always packed up on a waggon, and no one is allowed to go any distance from his billet.

The following day (April 13th) we moved off once more, this time nearer the line, our destination being Authie. As we drew near the rain began to descend, and on arrival we found, to our consternation, that French troops were in possession, and that there were no billets for us. After a considerable halt, during which time Lieutenant Freeman, the Transport Officer, most prudently watered his horses, we were informed that we were to bivouac in Authie Wood, a cheerless prospect, as the rain continued to descend steadily. We passed through Authie and turned up a steep hill on our right, and off that into a large forest of small trees, clogged with undergrowth. Here we found the remainder of our Brigade, and as night fell everyone was making elaborate efforts with branches and bracken to form shelters for the night.

About 11 p.m. word was received that some tents had arrived, and parties were collected with difficulty from the companies. The wood was situated on the slope of a very steep hill, intersected by small but precipitous gorges. Movement in the dark was therefore a matter of considerable difficulty. The scene on the road at this time was extraordinary. Three battalions, one field ambulance, and the Brigade Headquarter transports were parked alongside a road of no great width to begin with. In addition, the transport of the Machine Gun Battalion--equal in volume to the whole of a Brigade transport--had just arrived, and were trying to find room to park. Droves of animals were proceeding up and down the hill for watering. Several lorries containing the tents, and others passing through, not to mention motor ambulances and dispatch riders, added considerably to the congestion; while ration parties, fatigue parties, and miscellaneous details of every description filled what little space was left, which was not much. The babel of shouts and cries was almost deafening. One moment you found yourself in the midst of a drove of kicking mules, the next you were in imminent peril of destruction from a motor lorry, and all this in inky darkness and a steady torrent of rain. Eventually the situation cleared, and soon after midnight, except for a thousand dots of light all over the countryside, you might have imagined that not a man was about. Luckily, no inquisitive enemy airman came round.

The next day the Commanding Officer, Adjutant, and Company Commanders visited the section of the Red Line for which the battalion was to be responsible in the event of a hostile attack. The trenches were only just on the far side of the road, and appeared well situated. Gangs of Chinese were busy--after the leisurely fashion of British workmen--deepening and continuing the trench system.

Time was, in the old Armentières days, when we thought the scheme for occupying the enemy trenches, if he should retire, complicated and changeable. Compared with the multifarious schemes that now began to pour in on us in connection with the Red Line, that old operation order, with all its amendments and cancellations, faded into complete insignificance. Between this date and our going into the line at Gommecourt on May 6th there were not only four distinct schemes, one of which was a counter-attack in conjunction with tanks, but amendments were issued almost daily, altering the original scheme in the most drastic way. By way of encouragement, each set of orders was prefaced by the words, "The enemy is expected to attack at an early date"; and, indeed, the "powers that were" certainly had made up their minds that a general offensive was to open against us at any moment on that part of the front. However, that is rather a matter for the future.

After two damp and uncomfortable days at Authie we retraced our steps for some distance, and then marched off to Pas. Our route lay for the first part through villages packed with French soldiers--fine, big, upstanding men in the prime of life--who gave us and our bugles a rousing reception as we marched through.

Our billets--or rather bivouacs--we found were situated in Pas Wood, and once more on the top of a precipitous hill, the transport being in a field at the foot. The 2/7th K.L.R. and ourselves shared a section of the wood on a narrow strip of the crest-line of the hill. A sandy lane ran along the edge of the wood, giving access to our "bivvies," which were strung out in twos and threes for a considerable distance, as the wood descended below this strip very suddenly to the valley beneath us. On the other side of the lane was an open field, but there were considerable restrictions as to the erection of any tents, etc., in the field, as our presence in the wood was supposed to be a secret.

Fortunately, the weather was fine and sunny when we took over our bivouacs, and we were able to settle into our tents and ground-sheet shelters pretty comfortably. In fine weather it was not bad, but on cold wet days, of which we had a fair proportion, it was damp and chilly beyond description; and the difficulties of obtaining exercise apart from working parties--for we were still under the one hour's notice to move--proved very disastrous to the health of the battalion; and this was made worse by the quantity of vermin, occasioned by the bad conditions of living and the lack of facilities for bathing for a long period.

Our new situation brought out a fresh scheme for holding the Red Line, but this did not cancel the old one, being merely an alternative. Reconnoitring became the order of the day, and in addition the battalion marched out daily _en masse_ to work on the defences in the vicinity of Coigneux and Couin, where we were busy digging and wiring.

The addition of four more Lewis guns to the battalion about this time, bringing the total up to twenty-four guns, meant the creation of large classes for gunners, of which all companies had been getting short. The packing of these guns was also a difficulty. An emergency transport scheme was in existence, which limited the battalion transport considerably, and worked out at half a limber per company. These special vehicles with the battalion's essential battle equipment, were kept loaded night and day. In addition, dumps of preserved rations were formed, and water-bottles always had to be kept full.

On April 20th Captain Fell, who had been injured at St. Hilaire, returned from England and resumed command of "D" Company, which had temporarily been commanded by 2nd-Lieutenant Carr.

Some interesting tests as to the comparative merits in point of speed of Lewis guns and rifle fire were carried out. A Lewis gun, with a second gun to carry on if it had a stoppage, was matched against eight rifles for five minutes' rapid fire, and it was found that, unless a really good man was firing the gun, the total number of hits for the riflemen exceeded the total for the Lewis gun. If the gunner was good, the gun beat the rifle, but only by a small margin.

Each company was now organized into three ordinary platoons and a Lewis gun platoon, the latter under a Company Lewis Gun Officer, and the whole more or less under the supervision of the Battalion Lewis Gun Officer. From the training point of view this plan has many advantages, but whether these would be as great in action is open to question.

The working parties were now employed in the vicinity of Rossignol Farm; and later, on a new switch line, which was the outcome of a suggestion from the Commanding Officer, who had a very remarkable eye for weakness in a trench system. Some of the ground was chalk and flint, other parts consisted of excellent soft soil, with the result that the work which composed the daily task varied exceedingly. Never since the Margate days had the battalion been so good at digging as they became at this time. Lieutenant Jones, our Pioneer Officer, being an expert, proved invaluable in instructing the inexperienced.

A sudden outbreak of influenza, or some kindred ailment, swept over the battalion at this time to a very alarming degree. We had a sick parade daily of over 100, and admissions to hospital amounted to about 250 in a few days. Lieutenant Reed, our invaluable American Medical Officer, did everything he could to check the disease. Rest stations were established in Pas village to take the milder cases, isolation was practised, changes of diet prescribed--everything, in short, was done that was possible--but the complaint ran through the battalion like wildfire. The consequence was that we lost a very serious proportion of our best N.C.Os. and men, for those who go to hospital very seldom rejoin their old battalion. The field ambulance tried to save what they could, but, with the imminence of a battle, they dared not have their dressing-stations full of sick. That the lice, coupled with the bad conditions of living, were responsible there can be little doubt; nor that, granted reasonable facilities for bathing and disinfecting simultaneously, and not piecemeal, we might have stamped out the lice. However, the Higher Command refused the special facilities, and our losses were consequently great. It made things very difficult, as N.C.Os. and warrant officers had to be replaced almost daily; and the protective barrage that fell for an hour at dawn each day was a sufficient reminder of possibilities ahead. So loud and emphatic was this on some mornings that we were almost convinced that the threatened offensive had opened, but on each occasion the barrage died away again as suddenly as it had commenced.

During the period in Pas Wood we learnt that Colonel Fletcher had been awarded the Legion of Honour. We were glad to think that he had received this recognition of the splendid work he was doing.

On April 29th our manifold defence schemes were further complicated by the issue of a counter-attack scheme, in conjunction with tanks, for the recovery of Beer Trench, the old British front line in front of Gommecourt, in the event of the German attack succeeding to that extent. This necessitated the pegging-out of assembly positions in due course in the vicinity of the Chateau de la Haie. Meanwhile the old scheme for the manning of the Red Line was put into force on April 28th, the whole Brigade turning out for this practice, which was carried out without incident.

Our early return to front line work was now indicated by instructions to send an advance party into the Gommecourt sector for twenty-four hours' attachment to the 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment. This was done on May 1st, the party returning on May 2nd, but, unfortunately, less Sergeant Roberts, of "C" Company, a most popular N.C.O., who was shot through the head while going round the sector.

The actual relief was fixed for May 6th, and the interval was fully occupied by practice attacks, first of the 8th K.L.R., and later by the 172nd Infantry Brigade, assisted by contact aeroplanes.

The time had now arrived for us to leave our peaceful bivouacs and take a more active part in the war. The lengthened stay and the improvement in the weather had enabled us to make our temporary homes a little less primitive than when we took them over, and we were quite sorry to leave them. The surrounding country consisted of fine undulating downs, rolling in long sweeps for miles in every direction. The villages were mostly rustic and pretty, and the woods dotted about in all directions were showing the first signs of young spring green.

May 6th proved fine and warm. The morning was busy with the final preparations for the line and in sorting out the party which formed the "lifeboat," which was destined for the Divisional Camp at Marieux. Strict instructions had been issued that the full 33⅓ per cent. were to be left out, and the party included Captains Eccles and Fell, Lieutenants James and Burton, 2nd-Lieutenants Carr and Upward, and eighty-two other ranks. These marched off at 2 p.m. Rear headquarters were also arranged for at Couin, and consisted of Major C. W. Wilson, the Adjutant (sick), and 2nd-Lieutenant Harris, who was in charge of the Brigade relay stretcher-bearers--also kept out of the line for use in the event of the "push."

The battalion moved off at 3 p.m. to Souastre, where teas were served, and after dark the march into the line commenced. Souastre itself was fairly intact, though the Germans occasionally shelled it with a heavy gun, as certain houses mutely testified. After leaving Souastre the road proceeded almost straight into Fonquevillers, cutting right across open rolling country, and passing through most formidable lines of guns. Endless shell-holes in all directions, both on the road and on either side of it, revealed the fondness of the enemy for "crashing" this main approach to the line, a practice which our gunners had taught him to realize by bitter experience could be very effective. Just before reaching Fonquevillers the road entered a wood, and that point was particularly favoured by the attentions of the Germans.

After passing through this stretch of wood the miserable remains of Fonquevillers village were reached--another very "unhealthy" spot--on the far side of which the tramway to the trenches began. This most important adjunct to trench life was a very favourite target of the enemy. At the place where the tram-line started waggons and fatigue parties used to congregate after dark, to deliver and collect those various items of food and equipment which did so much to make life tolerable. Knowing this full well, the enemy used to open at intervals a concentrated fire on this spot, and woe betide the men that were gathered there at the moment. A series of blinding flashes and terrific explosions was the first warning that you got, and if the shelling was accurate it was at once the beginning and the end. As a matter of fact, however, we were extremely lucky. Not once did our rations get caught at this danger point.

The track led along a glade through Gommecourt Park, once a fine wood of noble trees, now a shattered skeleton of blackened stumps and splintered branches looking gaunt and spectral. A wonderful place this wood had been when the Germans held it. Huge dug-outs were concealed beneath it, with many an underground passage and machine-gun posts cunningly concealed in steel trees which counterfeited most cleverly the surrounding trunks. No wonder the opening attack in 1916 found this place wellnigh impregnable. No wonder the French Government had put up huge notices that the park was preserved as a national memorial, albeit the notices that no work was to be undertaken here without permission of the French Government were now riddled with bullets and splintered with shrapnel. The tide of war had flowed up to Gommecourt Park once more.

On either side of the track were endless pieces of trench and dug-outs, a very handy refuge in time of trouble; and it was with some slight sense of loneliness that you left the protection of these on the far side for a longish walk across the barest of bare open ground, heading for a lone bush which marked the line of direction to the British trenches. The frequent "whizz-bang" holes, some of very recent date, showed that the track was well known to the enemy.

In every direction were compact woods of varying size and geometrical pattern. Biez, Pigeon, the more famous Rossignol Wood, were all distinctive features in the landscape; and by day one expected to see those fleecy white puffs suddenly appearing above them and gradually dissipating again into the air which marked the British shrapnel, or, again, the blacker and more ominous clouds of the German fire.

It was dark when the battalion wound its way along the Souastre--Fonquevillers road, and not only dark but raining. As the night drew on it got blacker and blacker, while the rain increased to a torrential downpour. The Commanding Officer of the Lancashire Fusiliers had suffered severely during his own relief by the ignorance of the guides supplied to him. To prevent a recurrence of this, because a late relief hits both parties, his guides had been over the track nightly, to make certain of the road; but this night the elements were against them. They lost their way, and two companies were piloted into the right battalion sector, and only achieved the relief of their opposite numbers after wanderings comparable with those of the Lost Tribes of Israel. On a drenching night, with an active enemy opposite you, and with dawn approaching, such a trudge in the dark, stumbling over obstacles and wading through mud and water, is no small task, and the men's language, if free, was hardly to be criticized.

The relief was complete at 5 a.m., which left the remnants of the Lancashire Fusiliers the minimum of time to get out of sight before daylight broke--a proceeding that was most necessary where the enemy had excellent observation, and usually considered a party exceeding three or four a fair target. "C" and "D" Companies were in the front line, which may roughly be described as running from Biez to Rossignol Woods. "B" Company was in support, and "A" Company in reserve.

On the day after relief Captain Oliphant, of the United States Army, and two N.C.Os. were attached to the battalion for two days' instruction.

That night Colonel Fletcher, who had long been overworking, broke down and came to the rear for a rest, and Major C. W. Wilson took over command in the line. Colonel Fletcher was accommodated at Divisional Headquarters at Couin. Captain Broad and 2nd-Lieutenant Waln also retired to hospital, sick, the same day.

The next night (May 8th, 1918) a very determined effort was made by Sergeant Corkill and three other scouts (Hill, Whelan, and Bradley) to obtain identification. Leaving our line from our left post in Oak Trench, they made their way across to a supposed enemy post at the junction of the road and the German front-line trench; this they rushed, killing two of its occupants. Before they had time to do anything more, they were attacked by another post from the left flank. Seizing the machine gun in the post, they made off; but owing to two of the party being immediately wounded, and the check to their movements caused by the weight of the gun, they had to abandon it, and made the best of their way back to our line. For this very gallant little enterprise Corkill received the Military Medal.

The question of the defence of the sector, which had been exercising Colonel Fletcher's mind, and which, owing to his incessant reconnaissances, had given the finishing touch to his weariness, was now settled; and on the night of May 9th-10th the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshires, who belonged to the Division on our left, took over two left posts of our "D" Company in Oak and Waac Trench, and established, in addition, a joint post. This secured our left far more adequately than before, and also enabled "D" Company to relieve two posts of "C" Company and thus strengthen the line generally.

This scheme was further perfected on May 11th by the 2/7th K.L.R. taking over a Lewis gun post of "C" Company, which was more properly in their area; and on May 12th the defence line was based on Herring Trench instead of Bass Trench, which involved some shifting of posts and the taking over from the 9th K.L.R. of a small portion of their line.

On the night of May 12th-13th the enemy put down a gas shell barrage for two and a half hours on Fonquevillers, causing very heavy casualties to the Division on our left. Most unfortunately, our rations were coming through the village when the barrage opened, and we were lucky to escape with only seven men wounded and gassed. The transport stood the proceeding with the greatest fortitude, and after it was over delivered the rations as if nothing had happened.

That night the Adjutant was evacuated to hospital, sick, and Captain F. C. Bowring shortly after took over the duties.

The 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment relieved us on May 13th, relief being complete at 1.30 a.m., and the battalion moved out to the Chateau de la Haie switch, taking over the trenches occupied by the 2/5th King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.

The time, on the whole, had been moderately quiet, though parts of the line, more especially High Street, had dropped in for a good deal of fairly heavy shelling. The trenches had been poor and wet, and, owing to the extent of the front, only limited improvement had been possible. By 5.30 a.m. the battalion had settled down in Chateau de la Haie. The same afternoon officers were examining the trenches on the Sailly au Bois--Fonquevillers road, and in the evening two and a half companies were up in Beer and Rum Trenches, working on the defences. "B" Company, on the way back, were unluckily shelled, and four men were wounded.

We also lost a valuable member of the battalion, Sergeant Lloyd, who was injured by his horse falling on him. He had done excellent work as Transport Sergeant.

At 9 p.m. on May 15th the battalion proceeded another stage from the line, and relieved the 2/4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in Rossignol Farm, the Brigade being now in Divisional Reserve. The men were accommodated in barns, and the officers in a range of pigstyes, which had concrete floors capable of being sluiced out with water; this was necessary, as the styes were none too free of vermin. The farm buildings were situated on the top of a steep hill, at the bottom of which ran a road and a railway. Up this railway nearly every night a 15-inch railway gun was brought, named "Coppernob" by the troops, and fired several rounds from a position just behind the farm, which was shaken to its foundations at every discharge. This was not conducive to rest, but a further annoyance was added when on two occasions flights of German aeroplanes came over all night long, dropping their "eggs" in the vicinity of the farm in their endeavours to destroy "Coppernob." Ultimately success rewarded their efforts, but in the meantime a number of bombs fell unpleasantly close to our "rest" billets. The time at Rossignol Farm, like most other periods in reserve, was spent mainly in working parties in the forward area. Apart from meaning practically no sleep, and nothing but hard work throughout the hours of darkness, these parties possess the added joy of long marches along roads not infrequently shelled. That this work is necessary is beyond question; that it was unpleasant is hardly less certain. Beer and Rum Trenches, which might be considered the main line of resistance if the front-line battalion were rushed, received most of our attention.

On May 17th Colonel Fletcher proceeded to Paris Plage Officers' Rest Station, in the hope that a few days of quiet recreation would compensate for the strain due to months of overwork, though the hope was not fulfilled.

On May 18th the defence scheme for the reserve brigade of the centre divisional front of the IV Corps was issued, and we plunged once more into the perplexing variety of the probable and possible actions the battalion could be called upon to undertake. From the very start these were sufficiently multifarious, and were finally grouped under three headings--first, to reinforce the right or left brigade in the line; secondly, to counter-attack in one of four directions; or, third and lastly, to form a defensive flank in one of two totally different places. We also learnt that on the message, "Take precautions," the battalion was to assemble at a given spot in "fighting order," and there await news as to the particular part it was to play. This elastic set of orders plunged everyone into a perfect fever of reconnaissance. Before long, amendments and appendices began to arrive, which contained reference to disposal of prisoners, extra stretcher-bearers, and so forth, which certainly gave one the impression that the attack was due shortly. Most people hoped devoutly that it would develop before we entered the front line again, as the battalion holding the line when an offensive starts has a poor time at the best.

On the 20th "C" and "D" Companies moved up to the trenches at the Chateau de la Haie, taking with them the Lewis guns of "A" and "B" Companies in addition, and relieved two companies of the 2/7th K.L.R., who were to occupy Beer Trench, previously not held.

Further orders then arrived, detailing the action if the battalion had to occupy Beer Trench; but on May 21st, before any more of these orders arrived, the battalion proceeded up the line, taking over this time the right sector, and relieving the 2/4th South Lancashire Regiment.

The period behind the line, if not exactly restful, what with incessant working parties and a general feeling of excitement produced by the endless preparations to foil the Germans when they attacked, had yet been distinctly refreshing after the wet and miserable trenches which we had occupied in the line. The weather had been fine and warm, and all the countryside was pleasant with the fresh smell and bright colours of advancing spring. Baths and clean underclothing, better food, the Divisional Band, together with practice on the range and normal routine, had all helped to send the battalion back to the line in splendid fettle once more.

The relief was complete at 2 a.m., but this time one cannot add "without incident." The ration dump was heavily shelled, and, to the great loss of the battalion, Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant Cousins, but recently appointed to that important post, was killed, and another man wounded. Cousins had been with the battalion from very early days, and had risen steadily. It was indeed a tragedy that, on reaching a post which one may call comparatively safe, he should then have been killed.

The sector in which the battalion now found itself was an awkward one to hold, owing to inadequate lateral communications, and to the fact that the front line companies were not in touch with each other. The former defect was mainly due to the lie of the land, which sloped down from the high ground occupied by the enemy towards our support line in Gommecourt Trench, thus giving the enemy supervision of any movement in that trench. Two companies occupied the front line for four days, and were then relieved by the other two companies--one company in support in Nameless Trench and Gommecourt Trench, and one company in reserve in Rum Trench and in dug-outs in Gommecourt Park, in which latter place Battalion Headquarters also was established. The right front company was in rather a maze of trenches and saps off Welcome and Warrior Streets, and held positions in which it was very inadvisable to have any movement during the hours of daylight, else the enemy artillery, owing to their excellent observation, quickly located the movement, with unpleasant consequences. On our right were the New Zealanders, based on Hebuterne, with whom we held a joint post in front of Minnie Trench. In order to reach the right front company from Battalion Headquarters, it was necessary to go a short distance along Rum Trench, then climb out and dash across the road in full view of the enemy, and drop again into Rum Trench. This dash across the road was quite a sporting proceeding, because the enemy kept a machine gun trained on the spot; the great activity of all whose duty took them across the road was very noticeable. However, this dangerous place was remedied by driving a tunnel under the road. Continuing the journey to the right company, you proceeded along Rum Trench until you came to Nameless Trench on your left, which you turned down and followed until you struck Gommecourt Trench on your right. This trench, located at the bottom of a valley, was necessarily rather shallow and wet; but it was a long trench, and being for the greater part of its length under enemy observation, was consequently unhealthy unless you negotiated it at speed. Arrived at the far end, you turned up Richmond Trench, at the head of which Company Headquarters was found in a deep dug-out. The left front company occupied positions in saps leading off Nameless Trench and Nameless Support, and were responsible for the front from Nameless to the road which ran from Gommecourt Park to the enemy lines. On their left was the 8th Battalion K.L.R. There was no communication between the right and left companies during daylight, owing to the fact that west of Nameless Trench the trench called Welcome Street had been blown in for about sixty yards. The slope between Welcome Street and Gommecourt Trench was well pocked with shell-holes, and examination of an aeroplane photograph through a magnifying glass showed one curiously shaped mark, which caused some speculation as to what it might be. It was thought that it might be an old gun-pit, but when examined by a patrol at night proved to be a bed of ox-eyed daisies in full bloom, evidently a relic of a garden which had been there in the long ago. The reserve company always had to find carrying parties at night to carry water and rations up to the front line companies.

The tour opened quietly enough; the first two days the enemy devoted considerable attention to back areas, but little to the trenches. The night of May 25th-26th was made distinctly lively by a highly successful raid carried out by a party of four officers and 112 men of the 2/4th South Lancashire Regiment from our left company's front line. The South Lancashires brought in twelve prisoners and one machine gun. During the barrage we had two men killed and six wounded, while 2nd-Lieutenant Thomas was also slightly wounded by a sniper on this day.

On May 25th Colonel Fletcher rejoined rear headquarters.

The rest of the tour was quiet enough--the usual amount of miscellaneous shelling, and the usual two or three casualties daily. 2nd-Lieutenant Thomas was evacuated sick on May 28th to No. 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, which was heavily bombed shortly after his arrival, and caused him to retire to the United Kingdom wounded.

A draft of 126 men was posted to the battalion from the Divisional Wing on May 29th, but remained at Marieux with the nucleus party.

Relief of the battalion took place by the 2/7th K.L.R. on May 29th, but this only constituted the occupation of the reserve trenches instead of the front line, and made very little difference to conditions of existence.

The Transport Officer and Quartermaster, who were both suffering from the effects of gas, had to be sent to the rear, the former to a Casualty Clearing Station and the latter to Marieux. 2nd-Lieutenant Harper took over the duties of Transport Officer. Lieutenant Burton, the Scout Officer, also came up from Marieux, as a raid was looming ahead, and he had to commence preliminary reconnaissances.

The end of the month found our effective strength 43 officers and 860 men. Captain Wurtzburg and 2nd-Lieutenant Jones had been evacuated to England sick, and 2nd-Lieutenant A. E. Sutton for a transfer to the Royal Air Force. 2nd-Lieutenants Jacobs and Anderson had rejoined from a wild-goose chase to No. 2 Entrenching Battalion, whither they had been dispatched some time previously, after a heated argument over our paper strength, when we absorbed half the 2/5th K.L.R. Lieutenant Tebbutt, previously with the 2/5th K.L.R., joined us also; and 2nd-Lieutenant Lever, M.C., who was wounded at Langemarck, now reappeared. Our casualties had been five men killed and forty-five wounded.

June opened somewhat noisily in comparison with the peace and quiet of the last few days of May. The enemy celebrated the "glorious First of June" by attempting to raid a post of the 2/7th K.L.R., the attempt being preceded by a violent barrage on a broad front, and resulting in the capture by the 2/7th K.L.R. of one prisoner, who was understood to make some very disparaging comments on the officers who were to have accompanied the raiding party. The failure of the enterprise was evidently vexatious to the Germans, who shelled the whole sector vigorously all that day, and early the next morning treated us to two hours' solid gas shelling. The small box-respirator, admirable as it is as a protection, is not an ideal form of headgear, and two hours' continual gassing is apt to provoke considerable resentment on the part of the wearer. Luckily, the storm ceased at 4.20 a.m., when a local relief of 95 men by a party of 121 from Marieux had been arranged for, and was in fact achieved without loss, though at 5.40 a.m. a good number of 4·2's were flung on to Rum Trench. That afternoon 25 more men arrived from the rear, reinforcements from the Base, and were posted to the various companies.

The night of June 3rd our artillery put down a heavy barrage for a raid by the 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, but at the eleventh hour the raid itself was postponed till the next night. The enemy took little notice of it, probably imagining that it was retaliation for the previous day's "strafe." Later in the day, however, he shelled Battalion Headquarters with more zeal than was pleasant.

On June 5th and 6th more small reliefs of men were effected, and Captain Eccles came up from rear headquarters and relieved Major Wilson, who went back to Couin for a rest; while Colonel Fletcher proceeded to England for fourteen days' leave as a last effort to recover his former vitality.

On June 7th we were relieved by the 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and divided our forces. "C" Company with "D" Company's Lewis guns and Headquarters moved to Chateau de la Haie, where Major Charles Wilson resumed command. "A," "B," and "D" Companies, with Headquarters and Lewis guns, occupied Beer Trench and the defences of Fonquevillers, under the command of Captain Eccles.

We remained doing working parties and some musketry and bathing till June 9th, when we were relieved by the 8th K.L.R. and withdrew to Couin, which we reached at 7.15 p.m.

After a short three days' rest in Couin Wood, we found ourselves once more in the line, this time as left battalion of left brigade, the sector being north-east of Gommecourt, the original sector first occupied by the battalion. "D" Company, who were to carry out a raid in the immediate future, were left out for training, and "B" Company, 8th K.L.R., were attached in their place. The dispositions in the line were "C," "B," "A" in the front line, with "B" Company, 8th K.L.R., in reserve.

The battalion left Couin at 7.30 p.m., and the relief of the 9th K.L.R. was not completed till 2.40 a.m. on June 12th. Unluckily, the take-over was harassed by considerable hostile artillery fire, causing two killed and two wounded. We were fortunate indeed to escape so lightly. The rest of the day was quiet enough, except for some light shelling. Lieutenant Burton, Battalion Scout Officer, arrived the same evening from rear headquarters to commence a reconnaissance of the area to be raided.

On the night of June 16th Lieutenant Burton, accompanied by Riflemen Pennington and Leigh, proceeded into the German trenches. Coming suddenly and unexpectedly on a German post, they found themselves under a fierce fire at close range. Lieutenant Burton fell at once, badly wounded in the chest, and in spite of the efforts of his two companions to bring him back, they eventually had to leave him, being both seriously wounded themselves. There can be little doubt that Burton was mortally wounded, and could at the best have survived but a short while. By his death the battalion lost one of its most devoted and gallant officers. Entirely devoid of self-interest, he possessed a striking sense of duty, and worked whole-heartedly for the common weal. He was keenly mourned by all ranks. Pennington was awarded the Military Medal.

That night the enemy shelled us pretty heavily, and we sustained fourteen casualties. The next day, June 17th, on the other hand, was exceptionally quiet. The patrolling was continued by Acting-Captain Robinson and two more scouts sent up for the purpose.

On June 18th the enemy, no doubt encouraged by a previous success, sent over another raiding patrol. This one, however, met with a warm reception, and the patrol was forced to beat a hasty retreat, though not till one of its members had been taken prisoner.

Our raid had been fixed for June 19th, but owing to torrential rain it was decided to postpone it. At 11.30 p.m., however, on June 20th it was duly carried out. The raiding party, under Captain Fell, 2nd-Lieutenants R. E. Noon and L. T. Profit, had been training for six days at Rossignol Farm, where a set of dummy trenches had been constructed from aeroplane photos. The raiders were divided into three parties: Noon's party, fourteen N.C.Os. and men, were on the right; Profit's party, about thirty N.C.Os. and men, on the left; and, lastly, there were eight stretcher-bearers under a sergeant.

The plan of operations was as follows: The right party were to strike across No Man's Land up from our No. 2 Post, using the old German support line post "H" Trench, and up to a grave marked by a conspicuous white cross. On arrival there they were to rush the two German posts just beyond it in the present German front line, then turn left handed to meet the left party. The latter, leaving our No. 3 Post, were to proceed along the old German front line--_i.e._, parallel with the right party--past the northern end of "H" Trench, after which they were to extend and rush two posts in the German front line, and then move to the right to join the right party.

It will be observed from the sketch map that the old system of trenches during the confusion of the offensive had become, as it were, twisted sideways, and instead of each side holding the original front and support lines, these were now communication trenches, and the old communication trenches had been fashioned into the fire trenches.

At 3 p.m., June 20th, the raiding party left Rossignol Farm for Chateau de la Haie, where they arrived at 3.45 p.m. After tea and dinner the party set off for the line with blackened faces, white armlets, and plenty of bombs.

At 10.25 p.m. raid headquarters were reached, tin helmets were abandoned, and the move to assembly positions carried out. Meanwhile Robinson and the scouts were busy laying tapes and fixing sticks with metal discs to guide the party, and all was ready at 11.15 p.m.

At 11.30 p.m. the 4·5 howitzers, 18-pounders, and machine guns opened the barrage on the enemy front line, and the parties moved forward up their respective saps.

The right party, having reached the white cross, remained in their trench, which they shared with some thirty very dead Germans till 11.34 p.m., when they proceeded to extend and rush the enemy posts. However, some recently erected wire and a volley of bombs somewhat disorganized the movement; but Noon quickly collected four or five men and made a second rush with great bravery and determination, this time successfully, into the trench.

Two of the post showed fight and were killed; one bolted for a dug-out, but was taken prisoner. The rest of the post were killed or escaped over the top. Two of the raiders worked along to the right, the remainder to the left towards the other party. Just at that moment the recall signal went up, two green Véry lights, and the party only just had time to evacuate the trench before our protective barrage returned once more to the front line, whence it had temporarily lifted to the support.

The left party, after reaching "H" Trench, extended and tried to rush the enemy. They were met by steady machine-gun and rifle fire and a large number of bombs, and could make no progress. Lieutenant Profit and one or two others, with great determination, managed to reach the parapet, but all were wounded and could do nought. After one or two further efforts the raiders withdrew. On this occasion Rifleman Donaldson and Rifleman Robert Smith showed the utmost gallantry. Having penetrated with Lieutenant Profit as far as the German parapet, they saw him fall wounded, and in spite of very heavy fire proceeded to carry him back. By doing so they missed the gap in the wire. Nothing daunted, they made their way back to the enemy post, took their bearings again, and this time brought their casualty safely through. The performance was one of great coolness and courage, and the heavy rain which had begun to fall, coupled with the fact that Donaldson himself was wounded, did not make their task any easier. They were both awarded the Military Medal.

Others who for distinguished conduct during the raid received the Military Medal were Lance-Corporal Winstanley, who worked with great devotion in charge of the stretcher-bearers; Lance-Corporal Heyes, Riflemen H. E. Harrison and A. Mellor for gallantry and initiative with Noon's party; and Riflemen B. Clarke and W. Whelan, Battalion Scouts, for continuous bold patrolling before the raid and disregard of danger during its progress, while laying tapes in No Man's Land and leading the raiding parties to and from their positions.

Captain Robinson and 2nd-Lieutenant Noon were both awarded the Military Cross for their respective shares in the success of the operations. Everything that could have been found out about the enemy's position Robinson had, by persistent patrolling, discovered. Noon's action on the night of the raid has already been described. The casualties were twenty-one wounded, of whom 2nd-Lieutenant Profit subsequently died of his wounds. This had been the first real chance this young officer had had of showing of what stuff he was made. His performance on this night was most gallant, and it was with universal regret that we heard that he had succumbed to his wounds.

One prisoner and a machine gun were the trophies of the raid.

The party returned to the Chateau de la Haie for their breakfast, and thence to Rossignol Farm for twenty-four hours' rest. Congratulations from the B.G.C. and G.O.C. were received on the success of the raid.

On the evening of June 21st "D" Company came into the line, and "B" Company, 8th K.L.R., was relieved after some local rearrangement of the line. Subsequently "D" Company moved into the front line, changing places with "A" Company.

On June 22nd the 62nd Division, on our left, put over a raid with tanks, and we got well shelled in consequence, five men being wounded.

On June 24th there was a thick fog in the evening, and a German wireless message was picked up: "Tell storm troops to stand-by till 6 a.m. opposite Hebuterne." As a result three heavy counter-shoots were carried out by our artillery, though nothing more happened. We had been reinforced by sixty-three men that day from rear headquarters.

On June 25th Colonel Fletcher, who had recently resumed command of the battalion, while going round the right company front with Lieutenant J. R. Paul, had a very narrow escape from a 5·9 which landed full on the parados. Lieutenant Paul was seriously wounded in the back, and two or three men of the post were also wounded. Beyond a few bits of metal in his face and hands, Colonel Fletcher escaped injury. Paul was evacuated, and never rejoined us--to our lasting regret.

Next day a twelve-hour continuous shoot of all available artillery was delivered on to Rossignol Wood. To this the enemy retaliated on us to some purpose, and we had two men killed and thirteen wounded. On this occasion Rifleman P. Walsh, a stretcher-bearer, proved himself so efficient and so regardless of danger that he was recommended for, and was duly awarded, the Military Medal.

Advance parties from the 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and also a liaison party from the New Zealand Division, now began to appear; and by 12.50 a.m. on June 30th the relief was over and we were making our way back to Rossignol Farm, where we took over, as "B" Battalion, Reserve Brigade, from the 2/4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. By 4 a.m. all were in their "bivvies."

The casualties for June amounted to 1 officer killed and 2 wounded, 12 men killed and 83 wounded. During the month we had received 211 men as reinforcements, and our ration strength was now 24 officers and 695 men.

The month of July was one of quiet and peace. We were still, it is true, under the shadow of a coming German offensive. We wired and dug unceasingly. We received orders of every description to meet every emergency. We were also kept in a state of perpetual readiness to move, and were liable to test movements at most inconvenient times. Corps and Divisional Commanders revelled in staff rides to tactical features of the ground; and the undoing of the foe, should he be bold enough to attack, was our constant thought and care.

Notwithstanding all this, quiet training, baths, competitions, Brigade and Divisional sports, went on almost as at home in England.

On July 1st Major Wilson, recently returned from Paris Plage Rest-house, took over the command from Colonel Fletcher, who proceeded to the Third Army School after presenting ribbons to those recently decorated. Captain Eccles also left this day for the Senior Officers' Course at Aldershot.

On July 2nd the 2nd Otago Regiment, New Zealand Division, relieved us at Rossignol Farm, and we moved into Corps Reserve in the Bois de Warnimont, between Authie and Bus Les Artois. Here we were on notice of one hour between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., and two hours for the remainder of the day.

To test our readiness we received word at 7.50 a.m. on July 5th to move to our battle position in the Bus Loop, a phrase reminiscent of, but unconnected with, "strap hanging." We moved off at 8.10 a.m., and were in position at 9.22 a.m.--quite a creditable performance.

On July 6th Major Charles Wilson attended a Corps Commander's Staff ride, which involved hard riding over a good part of France with some sixty or seventy other officers, during which most contingencies were discussed and counter-measures devised. The possibilities of the situation seemed endless. However, we somehow managed to keep pace with Defence Schemes A, B, C, D, E, and F, with their various amendments and appendices; and as the enemy never attacked, we may perhaps omit further reference to them, in spite of the important part they played in our lives at this time.

A more interesting event, perhaps, was the winning of the Light Heavies in the Brigade Boxing Competition by Sergeant Cox, our Sergeant-Bootmaker.

On July 15th we moved to a camp at Hénu, where Colonel Fletcher resumed command. We were still under the same emergency orders.

On July 21st and 22nd the Divisional Sports were held at Couin. Owing to the distance we had to come, we marched there and back in fighting order. The sports were a great success, and a pleasant variation in the usual routine.

On July 23rd Colonel Fletcher relinquished command of the battalion at his own request, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. N. C. Gathorne-Hardy, Rifle Brigade, took over. Since his breakdown during the first tour in Gommecourt Colonel Fletcher had never been able fully to recover his old vitality, and, ever mindful of his battalion, chose to give up command rather than risk disaster to his "boys" by his breaking down during active operations. Few beyond his intimate friends know what it cost him to ask to be relieved, not from any sense of personal pride, but from his intense love for his battalion. His whole heart and soul were wrapped up in the 2/6th, and leaving it must have been painful to him indeed. The loss to the battalion was very great, and Colonel Fletcher's departure was keenly regretted by all ranks.

Colonel Gathorne-Hardy had for some time been commanding a battalion of the Rifle Brigade in Salonika, and had volunteered, with other Commanding Officers, to come to the Western Front after March 21st. He had not been long with the battalion before he became highly popular with all ranks, different as was his style of command from that to which we had been accustomed. We were lucky to get a Rifleman for a Commanding Officer, which was more than we had dared to hope.

On July 28th our spare kit was taken into store, and at 6.30 a.m. on July 29th we moved to our old billets at Ivergny, and thence at 9 a.m. the next morning to the Etrun area, which we reached at 5.15 p.m. after one hour's halt _en route_ at Lattre St. Quentin for dinner. We spent the night in a hutted camp. Here we entrained at 10.30 p.m. at Artillery Corner, and moved up by light railway to the point where the Arras--Lens railway joins the River Scarpe. Here we detrained, and proceeded to the support trenches of the Fampoux South sector, relieving the 72nd Canadian Infantry Battalion. The relief proceeded without any interruption, and was completed by 1.30 a.m.

Before proceeding further, it will not be out of place to give a general description of the area in which the battalion now found itself situated.

Leaving Arras to the south, the River Scarpe takes its course westwards along a plateau as far as the village of Athies, at which point it enters a valley proper, with high ground on either side.

Slightly south-east from Athies a large re-entrant ran south from the river; in the mouth of this re-entrant was the village of Feuchy.

Farther east down the stream, on the northern bank, the village of Fampoux covered the lower slopes of the high ground which here turned abruptly north. At this point a small triangular island, about 2,500 square yards in area, divided the Scarpe.

The British line, travelling south from Lens, followed the high ground overlooking Douai to Fampoux. Here it bent sharply to the west along the north slope of the valley, crossed the river at Feuchy, and took the line of the re-entrant already referred to--a direction roughly south-west.

The Brigade whilst on duty in this part of the line were responsible for the portion of it immediately north of the river, an area generally spoken of as the Fampoux sector.

The three battalions of the Brigade were disposed as follows: one in the line, one in close support, and the third in reserve at Ste. Catherine, north of Arras. The left flank of the battalion in the line was marked by a communication trench, Camel Avenue, which travelled straight from our rear through the sector over to No Man's Land to the German rear. From Camel Avenue to Fampoux the front line, known as Stoke Trench, with the exception of a very slight bulge towards the enemy, ran north to south, crossing the Arras road; the front line entered Fampoux, and, passing through it, reached the river bank at the apex of the island.

Fampoux, a village of fair size, was held by both sides, and as a result had few houses left standing, those to the south-west and on the island appearing to have fared the best.

The main road coming from Arras passed in succession through St. Nicolas, St. Laurent-Blangy, Athies, and Fampoux; at this point it became sunken, and then carried on eastwards through the German lines into Roeux.

From Fampoux a sunken road ran north to Gavrelle. Along this road, heavily protected by wire, ran the German front line.

Two kilometres behind, and parallel to, this portion of the German line ran the Roeux--Gavrelle road.

On the left of the sector behind this road rose Greenland Hill, flanked on its left rear by the spires and roofs of Douai.

The island originally carried the Pelves and Monchy--Le Preux roads over the Scarpe, but all the bridges being demolished, it was of little importance, and was merely held by our patrols at night.

From Feuchy to the island was a belt of marshland, bounded on the south by the Arras--Douai railway line, which roughly defined the German positions. Over these we maintained a strict watch from the hill north of the Scarpe.

The right flank of the battalion rested on Feuchy.

Several systems of support trenches ran from north to south down the sector, the most important one, Stoke Support, running parallel to the front line, and commanding it from an average distance of 400 yards.

The two main communication trenches were Camel Avenue in the north and Cam Avenue in the south.

Battalion Headquarters were situated in Cam Valley, a small depression about 400 yards long and 80 yards in width on the north side of the Arras road, north-east of Athies.

Athies, in the hands of support troops, was the ration dump for the sector, and also maintained communication over the river with Feuchy.

A battalion in reserve manned the Arras--Lens railway embankment between the Scarpe and the Arras road, finding ample and comfortable accommodation in the numerous "bivvies" and dug-outs covering its western slope.

From the top of the embankment a fire trench had an excellent command of the approach from Athies.

Between the embankment and St. Laurent Blangy, two kilometres farther west, intervened the woods, lakes, and grounds of Blangy Park, giving cover to our field batteries.

Brigade Headquarters was on the main road St. Laurent--Blangy; while Quartermaster's Stores and Transport were at Ste. Catherine, north of Arras.

Relieving troops, rations, and supplies were brought up to the sector by means of a light narrow-gauge trench railway, which, leaving the dump and railhead at Anzin St. Aubin, three kilometres north-west of Arras, struck the Scarpe at St. Nicolas, and, travelling along its north bank under the cover afforded by the trees with which it was lined, came to an end just short of Feuchy.

The dispositions of the battalion were--"A" and "C" Companies in Athies, "B" and "D" in Cam Valley. After being at first in the railway cutting, Battalion Headquarters moved on the evening of August 1st to the railway embankment, handing over their old Headquarters to the Munsters, and taking over from the 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion. The tour was very quiet, the only incident being some heavy bursts carried out from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on August 6th by our "heavies" on the enemy front line.

The same day a slight readjustment of the line took place between ourselves, the Munsters, and the 8th K.L.R. 2nd-Lieutenant Paterson and Rev. S. J. Hughes joined while we were here, and the Medical Officer was temporarily relieved by Lieutenant Gherman, M.O.R.C., U.S.A.

On August 8th we were relieved by the 2/7th K.L.R., and then proceeded to relieve the 8th K.L.R. in the front line. The operation was finally completed by 1.10 a.m. "D" and "C" Companies held the front line, "A" and "B" were in support.

The tour in the front line was hardly more eventful than when in support. The Corps Commander visited us on two occasions; the battalion on our right was unsuccessfully raided; "A" Company took a prisoner after a patrol encounter; and on August 13th sixteen officers and thirty-two other ranks of the American Army were attached for instruction.

There is no doubt that this was the most "cushy" sector the battalion ever occupied. The weather was fine and warm, the country pleasant, and but for a little artillery and one or two active trench mortars the enemy harmless. On August 15th we were relieved by the 2/7th K.L.R., with the exception of "D" Company, and moved back into reserve at Victory Camp. Here we spent a quiet two days cleaning and training, being joined by "D" Company on August 17th. On August 18th we moved to Ste. Catherine Camp at Anzin, where 2nd-Lieutenant D. J. Williams reported for duty.