troops also along road
leading to battery positions where officers could be found.
Returned to "sniping" howitzer.

4.30 P.M. The sergeant then endeavoured to get in touch with the
infantry, and to obtain orders from them. He found none of our
own infantry, but a machine-gun officer directed him to hold on
as long as he could. He returned again, and discovering Germans
close to the 18-pdr. and the 4.5 howitzer, ordered the
detachments to open fire on them with rifles. The enemy were
dispersed after ten minutes' shooting.

5.45 P.M. The two detachments came away, first blowing up the 4.5
how. and removing the breech mechanism, dial sight, and sight
clinometer of the 18-pdr. As soon as he had vacated the position
the sergeant reported to the machine-gun officer and then to his
battery's rear position.

"That's the way to carry on war," exclaimed the colonel when the
sergeant had saluted and departed: "A stout fellow that!"

The reports from Divisional Artillery and from the Infantry Brigade
with whom we were in liaison showed that the Hun was still coming on to
the left and the right of us. Directly in front of us he seemed
quiescent, but our orders were to get over the canal after nightfall.
The colonel dictated orders for the batteries to me, and then said--

"I want you to get a telephone line out from here over the canal. The
batteries will come into action behind the railway embankment." He
indicated the positions on the map. "I'm going to keep an officer at B
Battery's rear O.P. until the last moment, and the line must run from
him to here and thence over the canal to the batteries in their new
positions. You quite understand? I shall stay with General ---- (the
infantry brigadier) and cross the canal with him. Leave me one
telephonist. We'll have dinner and get the kit and the mess cart back
to the waggon lines; and you'd better get your line out immediately
after dinner."

These orders were clear enough. We dined comfortably, and by 8 P.M. all
the waggons, save the mess cart, were ready to move out of the quarry.

As I stepped out of the mess to see that arrangements were complete the
regimental sergeant-major approached me, saying: "They say the strong
point at ---- (about 600 yards away) has fallen, sir. We're quite ready
to move, sir!"

A voice behind me, the colonel's: "Put a stop at once to such a
ridiculous, panicky rumour. The next man who repea