but used the light, all might have been spoiled. Their lives
depended on no Hun reaching their line, or getting back with
information. They went straight out the 600 yards without a hitch.
That fixed their right flank, where Major J.R. Young was in command.
Captain Russell led his half Company 500 yards straight across the
front, with two scouts on either side, checking. At every five yards a
man dropped and was placed, facing his proper front. They moved
slowly, snail pace, but only three times in the 500 yards had the line
to drop flat, until the last man was placed. The next thing was to get
in touch with "A" Company, who were putting out the platoon to guard
"B" Company's left flank. Rather jumpy work, this joining hands in
pitch darkness. It was a long, silent night. At 9.30 the tinkling
sound of the wire being fixed was heard, and they knew from this that
the digging had commenced--some 800 men, good and true, working
silently as they had never worked before.

When 1.30 a.m. came their time was up. The right half Company, under
Major Young, rose silently, and crept off to a place in the wire where
a gap had been arranged for the men to pass through. Captain Russell
with the left half Company followed. The wiring and digging went on
till 3 a.m., protected by patrols sent out in front of the wire. A new
trench, with communication trenches, had been laid 300 yards out from
their old line, protected by treble staked wire, on a frontage of 600
yards. The new trench was held till dawn before handing over. There
was no hitch, and not a man wounded. The Battalion would have given
much to see the Huns' faces when they looked across and found that
long line of serpentine earth and wire shoved out under their noses.
There would probably be some court-martialling of their patrols.
Everything worked in absolute harmony, and with perfect success, and
all got back safe to tell the tale. The Hun discovered what had been
done only the following morning when all was over.

The lack of the more strenuous forms of active service excitement
during the digging of this trench was more than made up for in the
week following--when it was manned nightly in full strength, in spite
of severe bombardment by the enemy.

After the successful and useful piece of work in advancing the line
just described, the Battalion settled down to a period of normal
trench warfare and intensive training, but managed to slip in a game
of Rugger and an Asso