us other impedimenta of a moving army. Most of
these people took up their abode around Barastre, occupying old British
huts, or erecting tents and bivouac sheets, so that ground which twelve
hours previously had been Hun land, gingerly approached by us, had
become a huge camp seething with an active soldier population of
Britishers.

On September 6th the division came out for a long-delayed rest, and
marched back to Warlencourt in Corps reserve. A few tents were provided,
but only a small portion of the battalion could be accommodated in them,
so it was necessary to dig in once more. There was quite a quantity of
material about, however, and it did not take us long to make ourselves
weather-proof and more or less comfortable. Fortunately, the Huns had
not had time to destroy the two wells in the village, although the
explosive charges had been laid, so that water did not prove the
difficulty it might otherwise have done. A special order of the day from
the brigadier admirably epitomised our feelings of satisfaction with our
work in the war up to this date, so it would be as well to quote it at
length:--

MANCHESTERS,

You have added a new anniversary to those which your gallantry has
already made famous. On 4th June, 1915, in Gallipoli, you forced
your way like a spearhead into and through line upon line of
Turkish trenches. On 25th March, 1918, at Achiet and Bucquoy, you
stemmed and stopped the onrush of the tide of Huns that was to have
found its way to the Coast.

Yesterday, after three months of unbroken fighting in trenches and
in the open, and in face of stubborn resistance by Huns more than
equal in numbers, you stormed and took Villers-au-Flos with the
utmost dash and determination; a feat which would have been notable
if performed by battalions at full strength and fresh from a period
of rest.

When Manchester hears of this new proof of your prowess, she may
well be as proud of her sons as I am of commanding such soldiers.

ANTHONY HENLEY, _Brig.-Gen._,
Commanding 127th Inf. Brigade.
_3rd September, 1918._

The fortnight at Warlencourt was spent in refitting, and intensive
training in attack. One day was occupied by a demonstration of an
assault by a company, using live ammunition. This was carried out by "D"
company in the presence of the corps commander and large numbers of
officers and N.C.O's. of the divi