nce. Scarcely ever
does the simplest verbal message passed along a line of men reach its
intended recipient in the form in which it was despatched. The result is
sometimes puzzling, sometimes amusing; on this occasion it was nearly
tragic, as part of the firing line was left untenanted.

Captain John MacDonald, who had "B" Company in Parsons Road as Permanent
Garrison, as soon as he became aware of what was happening telephoned
back for instructions. His message was somehow delayed, and receiving no
reply to it he took the responsibility of acting on his own initiative.
Though the Permanent Garrison was detailed in orders to remain in
Parsons Road, he pushed forward at once with his company and occupied
the abandoned trenches before the enemy had time to make any move to
secure them. This saved the situation.

Early in the forenoon vague and conflicting rumours began to come in
about "A" Company and the losses it had sustained. As we were anxious to
get definite particulars of what really had happened and as to where the
company now was and how it was faring, Major Jowitt set out to find it
and obtain the desired information. He had not been long gone when a
message arrived from Lieut. Beckett giving particulars of the losses.
The hours slipped past without any word from Major Jowitt and we began
to fear that some mischance had befallen him. At last, towards three
o'clock, word came from the 7th H.L.I. that he was lying wounded in a
trench known as E12A a short distance in front of the Horse Shoe. On
further enquiry we learned that his wounds did not appear to be serious,
but that it would not be possible to get him out of the trench until
after dark as all approaches to it were being heavily sniped. Colonel
Galbraith, who had found him wounded, had made him as comfortable as was
possible in the circumstances, and one of our own men, having heard
where he was, had gone up to the trench to remain with him until he
could be removed. As soon as it was dark enough to cross the intervening
ground, Captains Simson and Neilson with our medical officer, Captain
Kennedy, and a stretcher party went up and brought him down to a
dressing station, where his wounds were attended to and he was sent down
to an hospital ship. The report was that his wounds were not serious,
although he was naturally in considerable pain after lying so long in
the sun and after his trying passage down from the front through narrow
and winding trenches.