nd perhaps we should not judge too harshly, for
traffic control was difficult and there was obviously an excessive
demand upon transport. Add to this the disturbing lack of news and the
peculiar shape of the front, for whereas we were facing east, the 62nd
division with the exception of one battalion in Bucquoy were facing
south, and some explanation may be found for the slight degree of
confusion. The divisional artillery, 18-pounders and 4.5 howitzers,
remained faithful to the infantry, and the 42nd gunners never showed up
to prouder advantage than they did during those stern days. It was not
they who had fired upon us. They were too close to us to make any
mistake in that way, for during the heaviest fighting they had their
guns within 1,600 yards of the front line, and where cover was
unobtainable either for gun or man. Needless to say they suffered very
heavily both in personnel and material, for the enemy aircraft soon
found them, and they were hammered and gassed mercilessly. Their forward
observation officers maintained a liaison with the H.Q. of the infantry
battalions, and in addition to courageous work in searching for targets
and correcting gun fire they showed the greatest consideration for our
needs.

Although the 7th occupied a commanding position it was singularly bare
and exposed so that cover was difficult to find. During the first few
hours "D" company of the M.G's. had all their guns but one put out of
action, and almost all their officers and men became casualties. They
had pluckily worked their weapons in the hastily sited positions until
knocked out--not before, however, they had carried out savage execution
amongst the more venturesome Huns, and they certainly had the effect of
making the remainder hesitate. The nature of the ground made it
difficult also for the battalion observers to work, for it was evident
the enemy F.O.O's. were specially searching for such people, and the
moment they fixed up a telescope down came a hurricane of shelling, the
close proximity of the Boche guns making their fire extremely accurate
and deadly. The result was that after the first day's fighting, of the
observers only two, Cpl. Maguire and Pte. Wilmer, remained. Not to be
daunted by the fate of their comrades they clung to their task, and
when shelled out of one spot immediately found another. They kept the
enemy under close watch and strung together most valuable chains of
evidence as to their movements, gallan