ht Infantry in the afternoon and repeated by the 8th
Durham Light Infantry in the evening. The Battalion was holding the
sector immediately on the right of the raiders, and its function was to
draw the enemy's attention and fire by the exhibition of dummy figures
and a dummy tank, which were later on view at the United Services Museum
in Whitehall. 2nd Lieut. Leatherbarrow was in charge of these dummies,
assisted by Sergeant P. Finn, who was awarded the Military Medal for his
work.

Other decorations earned during this period were Military Medals awarded
to Corporal Nesbitt and Private Allison of X Company for digging out a
man buried by shell fire, under very dangerous conditions.

Apart from good work in the line not only in patrolling, etc., but also
in improving the trenches till they were probably as good as any on the
whole front, considerable work was done on the erection of reserve camps
and horse standings. It was with some regret therefore that when at
Northumberland Lines, a very comfortable hut camp near Mercatel, the men
heard that they were to leave the area before the winter.

Early in October they marched to a canvas camp at Gomiecourt, just off
the main Bapaume road, and stayed there a short time training. The
arrival of representatives from Divisions in the "Salient," to instruct
in the methods adopted in the recent successful fighting there, left no
doubts as to the next move.

CHAPTER V.

RETURN TO THE "SALIENT."

About the end of October the Battalion marched one night to Bapaume,
where it entrained for Esquelbecq, north-west of Cassel. On detraining it
marched to billets at Eringhem for two nights. From there the march was
continued to Arneke, and there the men were told that a short stay would
be made, but early the next day orders were received to march to Proven,
just inside the Belgian frontier. On the road, however, fresh orders were
received, and the latter part of the journey, from Wormhoudt, was done by
train.

On arrival at Proven the Battalion occupied Piddington Camp on the
Poperinghe road, and incidentally, renewed the acquaintance of Belgian
mud. After one night there it moved for the next night to bivouacs known
as Sarawak Camp, in the woods north of Poperinghe. This will probably be
remembered as one of the dirtiest camps ever occupied. The last stage of
the journey eastwards was done by train from Proven to Boesinghe.
Arriving at the latter place in the morning, the