through the mist! I'm afraid the --rd (our
companion Field Artillery Brigade) have caught it badly. Two of their
batteries have lost all their guns. Get me the brigade-major of the
---- Brigade"--turning to the telephone again.

He told the brigade-major of the Infantry we were covering the news of
the break on the left. No, our infantry had not yet been attacked; but
up in the front it was difficult to see anything in the mist.

The colonel studied his wall-map with intentness, and put a forefinger
on the --rd Brigade gun positions. "If he's through there we can expect
him in ---- (naming a village of great strategical importance) in a
couple of hours."

A runner came in from C Battery, with whom we had had no communication
for nearly two hours. The Huns seemed to know their position, and had
put over a regular fusilade of 4.2's and 5.9's and gas-shells. The
duck-board running outside the dug-outs behind the guns had had six
direct hits, and two of the dug-outs were blown in, also No. 2 gun had
had its off-wheel smashed by a splinter; two men rather badly wounded.

For an hour there was no further news, and, assisted by my two clerks,
I proceeded peacefully with the ordinary routine work of the adjutant's
department. The doctor came back and said that A Battery were all
right, but could not get communication with their F.O.O., not even by
lamp. The 8-inch shell had made very short work of B Battery's mess.
"Poor old Drake," went on the doctor, "he'd got a new pair of cavalry
twill breeches, cost him L5, 10s., and he'd never even worn them. They
came by parcel yesterday, and the fools at the waggon line sent them up
last night." Bliss, he added, had stayed with B Battery, and was trying
to get the line through between A and B, so that Headquarters could
speak to A.

I strolled over to the other side of the quarry where the colonel's,
the doctor's, and my horses were under cover, and found they had not
been troubled by the gas. The men were at dinner; we were to lunch at
1.15 P.M.

12.40 P.M.: The colonel was again speaking to the Infantry
brigade-major. Still no signs of the German infantry in our front line.

Then in one swift moment the whole situation changed. A sweating,
staggering gunner blundered into the doorway. He made no pretence at
saluting, but called out with all his strength: "The Boche is through."

"Who is that man?" demanded the colonel, whipping round like lightning,
and frowning. "Bring him