rman airplane hovered over the chateau, describing a half circle
behind the Imperial battery, spotting its flash, and immediately
wirelessing the location. Our observers, who were stationed at points on
either side, did not notice the manipulation of the airplane at the rear
of the battery. The "S.O.S." was accompanied by a burst of stars from
the Imperial British Infantry, the signal working its way down right
into the Canadian lines, where the ammunition was rapidly becoming
exhausted.

On account of the trees partially obscuring the flash of the guns of the
Imperial battery, the airship that the battery in the chateau saw did
not convey the exact information to the German batteries, and when they
opened up on the chateau, chunks out of the building and trees and a
general ripping up ensued, but their fire did not reach the battery. In
all my experience at the front, in three years, I have never known at
one time in one spot such a devastating fire as they put over at that
particular time. There were over seven batteries--forty guns--ranging
from 3 inch to 8 inch, constantly trip-hammering on the building, and
the earth trembled and quivered as though in the throes of an
earthquake.

Another gun of our Canadian battery of four guns was here put out of
action, leaving two guns out of the six. From off my gun we had removed
the fallen tree, enabling us to get it into action again. At this time
we were receiving the fire from the German batteries on the left rear,
left, front and right, leaving only our right rear free from the
destruction which was being waged on every other outlet.

Then we gathered up every shell on which we could lay hands,--shells
that had been discarded as defective, and rammed them in the guns as
fast as our arms and hands would work. At that moment the German
airplane returned, flying low and turning his machine gun upon us. We
sniped at him with our rifles, but failed to get him.

The Germans had been trying all day to reach Maple Copse, but we held
there. Our artillery observer at Zillebeke now phoned that the Huns were
massing in Sanctuary Woods--"Fire must come from somewhere." We pulled
the last two guns of the Imperial battery and shoved them out in the
open; the crews of the remaining guns of this battery were gone; these
guns were 4.05's. On they came, and we let them have it beautifully for
a good five minutes, and they faltered and fell back. In another ten
minutes they came again,