g. Later on in the evening, I saw
some machine-gunners coming up, who told us that they had left some
wounded and a dead man in a trench near the road. I determined to go
back and see them. The trench was very crowded, and as it was dark it
was hard to find one's way. I nearly stepped on a man who appeared to
be sleeping, leaning against the parapet. I said to one of the men,
"Is this a sleeping hero?" "No, Sir," he replied, "It's a Hun stiff."
When I got down to the road, I met two men and we hunted for the place
where the wounded had been left, but found they had been carried (p. 295)
off to Cherisy. So I started back again for Battalion Headquarters,
and as numbers of men were going forward I had no difficulty in
finding it.

The dugout was now absolutely crowded. Every available space,
including the steps down from the opening, was filled with men. I
managed to secure a little shelf in the small hours of the morning,
and had two or three hours sleep. The atmosphere was so thick that I
think we were all overcome by it and sank into profound slumber. At
last, one of the men suddenly woke up and said to me, "It's ten
minutes to five, Sir." The barrage was going to start at five. As far
as I could see, everyone in the dugout but ourselves, was sound
asleep. I climbed up the steps, waking the men on them and telling
them that the barrage would start in ten minutes. The sentries in the
trench said that the 7th Battalion had gone forward during the night
with a number of 4th Division men. The morning air was sweet and fresh
after that of the dugout, but was rather chilly. A beautiful dawn was
beginning, and only a few of the larger stars were visible. The
constellation of Orion could be seen distinctly against the grey-blue
of the sky. At five o'clock the barrage started, and there was the
usual glorious roar of the opening attack. Very quickly the Germans
replied, and shells fell so unpleasantly near, that once again we
crowded into the dugout. After a hasty breakfast of bacon and tea the
battalions moved off, and I made my way to the front. I saw an officer
of the 7th Battalion being carried to the M.O.'s dugout. He was not
badly hit, and told me he was just back from leave and had been
married only a fortnight ago. I shook hands with him and congratulated
him on being able to get back to Blighty and have a wife to look after
him. He was being carried by some Germans and had two of our bearers
with him. I went down in