re than arrived in the line than the cook of the first gun
crew we struck brought out a "dixie" of tea and an unlimited supply of
bread and butter and jam and invited us to fill up. ("Dixie" is the
soldier's name for the camp kettle used in the British army.) Now if
you have been paying attention to the story of our movements since
leaving England, I think you can readily imagine that we were hungry.
These soldiers had been out, some of them, since the beginning of the
war and had become inured to all the hardships which are a necessary
part of the game, and, splendid fellows that they were, the first
thing they thought of was our comfort. From that time on I never met
up with any body of British Imperial soldiers who did not show this
same consideration and solicitude for the stranger. And they do it so
unostentatiously and naturally that they challenge the admiration of
all, especially of Colonials such as we, who were, I fear, very apt to
forget the little niceties of manner which are inbred in the native
Briton. While we afterward became the best of friends there was never
any danger of our becoming "alike." We secretly admired their perfect
and unalterable observance of all orders even though we were, at the
same time, scheming to evade a lot of those same restrictions which
appeared to us to be unnecessary. They, on their part, could not help
admitting that the dash and "devil-may-care" spirit shown by our men
often accomplished results not otherwise attainable but from the
emulation of which they were barred by "traditions." The discipline
of the one and the discipline of the other are based on two entirely
different modes of life; the former carefully trained to rely on and
obey implicitly the orders of any superior officer, while the latter
looks only for initial direction, depending upon his own initiative
and ingenuity to see him through any trouble that might arise.

From this line we could see the whole valley which separated us from
the famous Messines Ridge. The enemy was firmly established on its
crest, with his advance lines in the valley and even, at some places,
on the sides of the slope below us. The town of Messines, directly
opposite, was in plain sight but nearly a mile away, the church and
hospice, or infirmary, being conspicuous landmarks on the sky-line.
Our front lines were from about one hundred and fifty to three hundred
yards apart. Numerous ruined farms and cabarets were scattered along
th