e at Bailleul, and there was no one to meet us. The Cyclists
as usual came to our help. Their gig was waiting, and climbing into it
we drove furiously to St Jans Cappel. Making some sort of beds for
ourselves, we fell asleep. When we woke up in the morning our leave was
a dream.

FOOTNOTES:

[22] Here are kindly people.

[23] French, Flemish, and German slang expression. Done for!

[24] An abbreviation for the general in command of the Divisional
Artillery.

CHAPTER XI.

ST JANS CAPPEL.

Soon after our return there were rumours of a grand attack. Headquarters
positively sizzled with the most expensive preparations. At a given word
the Staff were to dash out in motor-cars to a disreputable tavern, so
that they could see the shells bursting. A couple of despatch riders
were to keep with them in order to fetch their cars when the day's work
was over. A mobile reserve of motor-cyclists was to be established in a
farm under cover.

The whole scheme was perfect. There was good rabbit-shooting near the
tavern. The atmosphere inside was so thick that it actually induced
slumber. The landlady possessed an excellent stove, upon which the
Staff's lunch, prepared with quiet genius at St Jans, might be heated
up. The place was dirty enough to give all those in authority, who might
come round to see that the British Army was really doing something, a
vivid conception of the horrors of war. And, as I have said, there was a
slope behind the road from which lots and lots of shells could be seen
bursting.

The word came. We arrived at the tavern before dawn. The Staff sauntered
about outside in delicious anticipation. We all looked at our watches.
Punctually at six the show began. Guns of all shapes and sizes had been
concentrated. They made an overwhelming noise. Over the German trenches
on the near slope of the Messines ridge flashed multitudinous points of
flame. The Germans were being furiously shelled. The dawn came up while
the Staff were drinking their matutinal tea. The Staff set itself
sternly to work. Messages describing events at La Bassee poured in. They
were conscientiously read and rushed over the wires to our brigades. The
guns were making more noise than they had ever made before. The Germans
were cowering in their trenches. It was all our officers could do to
hold back their men, who were straining like hounds in a leash to get at
the hated foe. A shell fell among some of the gunners' transport and
w