loaf, rarest
of all articles on the heels of a retreating army. Another who had been
sent on ahead to find a billet in a chateau saw a beautiful bathroom,
and was preparing to make use of a priceless opportunity when he found
that the enemy was upon him, and fled in haste. The transport officer,
peering round the corner of a house, saw his beloved transport which he
had gathered and cherished until it was reputed the best in the army,
go up in matchwood and iron splinters. One subaltern, finding himself on
the ground, discovered to his horror that he had a hole in his chest,
but struggled gamely on, now walking, now stealing a ride on a
limber--just catching the last train of all--and finally arriving in
England with no other articles of kit or clothing but a suit of pink
pyjamas and a single eyeglass.

At Meaux the steeples of Paris were in sight; but the hour had struck,
and The Royals at last wheeled to pursue.

III

_At the Nose of the Salient_

The battalion had come through much since then, on the Marne and the
Aisne and the Lys, and in trench warfare from Hooge to Neuve Chapelle.
Here is a picture of a day's fighting from the diary of an eyewitness--a
bald note of facts. It refers to 25th September 1915:--

'The brigade formed up in the trench in the following order from left to
right, 1st Gordons, 4th Gordons, 2nd Royals, one company Royal Scots
Fusiliers. Each battalion received separate point of attack, namely,
Bellevarde Farm, Hooge Chateau, Redoubt, Sandbag Castle. Artillery
bombardment 3.50-4.20 A.M. General attack then launched. "B" Company was
at the nose of the salient; "C" Company on right of "B"; "A" Company on
left; "D" Company in dug-outs in reserve. At 4.20 A.M. the battalion
advanced to the attack. Complete silence was observed and bayonets were
dulled. The front line was captured with few casualties on our side, and
shortly after the final objective was successfully attained. Our line
was consolidated. One hundred and sixteen prisoners belonging to the
172nd Regiment of XV. Prussian Corps were taken and three lines of
trenches. All four officers of "B" Company were hit before German front
line was reached. Touch was established with R.S.F. on right and 4th
G.H. on left. There was heavy German shell-fire on the captured
trenches. A party from "D" Company tried to make communication trench
back to our old front line, 1st Gordons unfortunately were not able to
reach the German front line owi