he point suggested. They are a sort
of armoured car arrangement and shells literally glance off them. They
will cross trenches, no matter how wide, crawl in and out shell-holes,
and through barbed wire, push down trees and...."

I turned to the General. "I certainly suggest, sir, that ---- should go
to hospital; the war is getting on his nerves. He will tell me next that
they can fly as well."

The General laughed. But quite seriously he told me it was all true.

"Then I hope I shall be able to get a good film of them," I said,
"especially as this will be the first time they have been used."

Finally it was agreed that ----, who was going up to the front line to
observe for the division, should act as my guide, and take me up in the
morning at three o'clock.

"We shall have to start about that time," he said; "it will be possible
to go there for quite a good distance over the top of the ridge. It will
save trudging through '---- Trench,' and there's sure to be a lot of
troops packed in it. In any case it will take us about three-quarters of
an hour."

"And I want at least an hour to look round and find a suitable spot; so
three o'clock will suit me very well."

"Hullo!" I said, as I heard the crack of a 5.9 crump burst just outside
the dug-out. "Can't Bosche let you alone here?"

"No," he said, "he strafes us sometimes. He put quite a lot in here the
other day, and one went clean through our cook-house, but no damage was
done, beyond spoiling our lunch. If he anticipates our show in the
morning, he will be sure to plaster us."

At night I watched the effect of the flashes from our guns. They were
rattling off at quite a good pace. What a gorgeous night! Dotted all
round this skeleton of what was once a wood, but now merely a few sticks
of charred tree trunks, and in and out as far as the eye could see, were
scores of tiny fires. The flames danced up and down like elves, and
crowded round the fires were groups of our boys, laughing and chatting
as if there was no such thing as war. Now and then the flash of the big
howitzers momentarily lighted up the whole landscape. What a scene!

Having seen as much of the war as I have done, and having been
practically through the campaign from the very outset, it may surprise
you that I had not used myself to such sights. Possibly I ought to have
done, but the fact remains that I cannot. These night scenes always
appeal to me. Every scene is so different, and looking at e