s far as it was possible, to their bodily
needs, I endeavoured to minister to their spiritual. As they happened
to be Roman Catholics, I took off the crucifix which I wore round my
neck and gave it to them. They would put up their trembling hands and
clasp it lovingly, and kiss it, while I began the Lord's Prayer (p. 279)
in German. This happened many times that day. One man who had a
hideous wound in the abdomen was most grateful, and when he handed me
back the crucifix he took my hand and kissed it. It was strange to
think that an hour before, had we met, we should have been deadly
enemies. At a crossroad further on the Germans must have concentrated
their fire when our men advanced, for many dead and wounded were lying
about.

The sun was now high in the heavens and it became very hot, but the
autumn fields looked beautiful, and, as there were no hedges or
fences, the low rolling hills gave one the sense of great expanse, and
were an ideal ground for a battle on a large scale. While I was
looking after the wounded I heard the cheering of the 16th Battalion
who had reached their objective and were settling down to rest and to
have some food. I made my way to them and found the Colonel in high
glee over what his men had done. It had been a splendid routing of the
enemy. The Battalions of the 1st and 2nd Brigades followed up the
attack and were now moving forward, so I followed after them. It was a
delightful feeling to be walking through the golden harvest fields
with the blue sky overhead, and to know that we were advancing into
the enemy's land. It seemed as if by our own labours we had suddenly
become possessed of a vast property and that everything we found was
lawfully ours. It is no doubt that feeling which fills men with the
desire to loot in a conquered country.

I had a magnificent view from the hill of the British Cavalry going into
action. Thousands of little horses in the distance on the vast plain
were galloping in a long line across the yellow fields, which reminded
one of the great battles of old, when mounted men, and not machine-guns
and gas-shells, were the determining factor. The store of water that I
had brought with me was now exhausted, but I was able to get a fresh
supply from the water-bottle of a dead man. The road that leads from
Gentelles to Caix winds through the valley to the right of the line of
our attack and follows a little stream. It is very narrow, and on that
day was so crowded