view westwards from the Bethancourt ridge that day provided one of
the most picturesque panoramas of the retreat. The centre of
Bethancourt, ridded the night before of its civilian inhabitants, was
chock-a-block with troops and military traffic; and the straight road
that led down into the valley, across the stream, and up again to
Caillouel, was a two-mile ribbon of blue and khaki, and waggons and
lorries, and camp kitchens--sometimes moving, oh, so slowly! once at a
standstill for over an hour. A long way to the right high rocks and
thick masses of dark trees rose, aloof; below them, thousands of horses
and hundreds of supply and ammunition waggons, some halted in lines,
some making slowly across the valley towards Caillouel. Directly in
front of us more horses, more waggons. A road at the foot of the valley
wound away to the left and then round behind the Caillouel ridge. The
valley would have served admirably for a field-day in home training.

The colonel called Major Bullivant and pointed out that the stream at
the bottom was crossed by only one bridge, that over which the main
road ran. "If you are relying on that bridge for a withdrawal you will
certainly be cut off. You'd better cut down some trees and make a
bridge directly behind your battery. Of course, there's the road round
by the left, but it will be best to have another way."

1 P.M.: A cavalry officer, hot and dusty, came up and said he had
hurried back because some of our artillery fire was dropping
dangerously near the French infantry. The colonel and he made a joint
inspection of maps, and the cavalry officer pointed out certain spots
which we still held.

"That's all right," replied the colonel. "My batteries are not firing
on that part, but I will pass word round." And he sent me to some
neighbouring batteries to explain and to warn.

An infantry runner came to ask the colonel if he would go across to see
the Infantry brigadier. "More moving," said the colonel when he
returned. "We are to fall back on Caillouel now. Will you get back and
see that telephone wire is brought up? You know where D Battery have
gone; the other batteries will come into line with them. You can keep
H.Q. waggon line just behind Caillouel."

I rode off, accompanied by Beadle of A Battery, still dressed in
overcoat and pyjamas. The stream of retreating traffic on the road
between Bethancourt and Caillouel was thicker than ever; the centre of
Caillouel was as packed as a