ong the road. The children ran out to look at us. They were all
fair and flaxenhaired. It was as peaceful as a Sunday at home, but we
were reminded of the war by the trenches running through the fields.
The Germans had been here, but left on the big drive from the Marne.
The road was a model, made of large stones set about 8x16 inches
square and of granite hardness.

Just before we got to Caestre we ran into the Royal Montreal Regiment
halted on the road, and I saw a horseman riding along a sideroad
waving his hand. He joined us and proved to be Colonel Penhale of the
Divisional Ammunition Column, who had been with us on the "Megantic."

I had sent out a billeting officer, Lieut. Dansereau, ahead of us, and
when we got within a mile of the town I was joined by General
Alderson, who rode Sir Adam Beck's prize winning horse, "Sir James."
We rode along for a while and he told me a little about our future
programme, just as much as he dared speak about. I rode into the
village ahead to find out why we were halted. As I got to the
outskirts of the town three horsemen appeared. They were English
officers with lots of ribbons on their jackets. We saluted, and as I
was going at a good trot, it was only as he passed and smiled and
saluted that I recognized His Royal Highness Prince Arthur of
Connaught.

When I got into the town I found Captain Pope who had been sent ahead
by the Brigadier to divide up the billets among the battalions of the
Brigade. My battalion was given the western part of the village. I was
interested to know how the billeting would work out. I was put up with
a brewer. The brewery was in the back yard. I was shown to my room
which contained a large bed, plenty of sideboards and a pair of
magnificent bronze lamps on the mantel which were never used.

We very soon got settled down, and mounted a guard and an inlying
picquet. We then adopted the plan of making one of the companies
furnish the duties every day. One company each day provided all the
duty officers, guards, picquets and fatigue parties. This had the
advantage that the men are all the time working under their own
officers.

On Friday, February 19th, I was sent for to go to Brigade
Headquarters. I found Colonel Mitchell of the Toronto artillery there,
also the other regimental commanders. Soon a British General dropped
in. It was General Campbell of the Ordnance. He was introduced to me
and we had quite a chat. He told me that he had belonged t