from the entrance was occupied. While the
shelling was taking place the Company Commander was out interviewing the
Commanding Officer and, returning to his headquarters, he saw shell after
shell burst in the vicinity. When the intensity of the fire was somewhat
mitigated, he returned to company headquarters and there saw a shell had
entered and burst in the empty compartment. When he asked the men about it
they did not know what had happened, and they even had not noticed it amid
the several other shells that had burst close by.

While at Inchy the Battalion had the misfortune to lose its most popular
officer, who was killed while doing a daylight patrol in Pavilland Wood.
He had fought in the first Battle of Ypres in 1914 and had remained in
France until wounded in 1917. Though blind in one eye and deaf in one ear,
he insisted on returning to the battlefield after his wounds had healed.
His conduct stands out in sharp contrast to the thousands who were evading
service at home.

On the 16th September, the Battalion was relieved and marched by companies
to a bivouac area by Bullecourt. On arrival a thunderstorm took place. The
men were soon wet, the ground sodden, and the bivouac sheets caked with
mud. To this was added the fact that fires and lights were not permitted
on account of the enemy aeroplanes. The next day, however, was fine and
everyone quickly dried. Of the village scarcely a vestige remained. Here
and there the foundation of a wall was discernible in the mud. French
villages are usually well wooded, but of all the trees in Bullecourt there
was only one standing, and that had died from the effects of shell fire.
The Battalion marched off next day and entrained by Boyelles, and after a
short journey detrained at Beaumetz. Here the men saw once again the
village they knew so well in 1916. It seemed strange that trains were
running in the station now.

At Beaumetz the Battalion marched past some of its former billets to
Bailleulment. Here a few days were spent in resting and training, and on
the 25th September the Battalion marched to Beaumetz and by train and
route march proceeded to a bivouac area at Lagnicourt.

On the 27th September the Battalion took part in the advance. The men got
to the position of assembly in the Hindenburg Line and then passed through
Moeuvres, crossed the Canal du Nord and advanced in artillery formation
towards the southern corner of Bourlon Wood.

While coming over the crest j