them, overcome by gas; the
Infantry brigadier wished to discuss fresh plans for hastening the
enemy's departure from the neighbourhood of the canal.

In the afternoon I accompanied the major on a round of the batteries.
Nests of Boche machine-gunners were still checking the advance of our
infantry--they had fought heroically these fellows; but slowly,
methodically, implacably the work of rooting them out was going on. Our
farther advance was only a matter of hours now. "We're ordered not to
risk too many casualties on this front," the Infantry brigadier had
told the major. "The enemy will have to fall back when certain
movements north and south of us are completed.... But we mustn't let
him rest." Beale of A Battery had returned from the most crowded
glorious experience of his young life. He had taken a gun forward to
support two companies of the infantry who were striving to establish
posts on the eastern side of the canal. Their progress was stayed by
machine-guns and snipers, and the casualties were beginning to make the
company commanders doubt if the operation was worth while. Beale
reconnoitred with two platoon commanders and located the machine-guns,
returned and brought his gun up, and from an open position fired over
four hundred rounds; and afterwards went forward in front of the
advanced posts to make sure that the machine-guns had been definitely
put out of action. This brilliant effort enabled the infantry to move
forward afterwards without a casualty. Dusty, flushed with the thrill
of what he had been through, Beale knew that he had done fine work, and
was frankly pleased by the kind things said about him.

The following day produced fresh excitements. Major Simpson had gone
down to B Battery's waggon line to secure something like a night's
rest--although I might say that after the spring of 1917 the Boche
night-bombers saw to it that our waggon lines were no longer the havens
of peace they used to be. Disaster followed. The Boche drenched the
battery position with gas. Captain Denny, who had come up from the
waggon line to relieve the major, was caught while working out the
night-firing programme. Overbury, young Bushman, and another officer
were also gassed; and eight men besides. C Battery were victims as
well, and Henry and a number of the gunners had been removed to the
Casualty Clearing Station.

And before lunch-time a briefly-worded order was received directing
Major Mallaby-Kelby to report imme