the opposing sides
in this area, which we soon learnt and respected. For instance, the
village of Aubers lay behind the enemy lines approximately at the same
distance that Laventie did on our side. Both were used as Brigade
Headquarters and filled with troops. Neither town was shelled unless
the enemy accidentally dropped a shell into it, when instant
retaliation was forthcoming. On one occasion the placid calm of
Laventie was rudely shaken through the instrumentality of a young
officer in one of our sister brigades who, unconscious of what he was
doing, planted several shells into Aubers. The consequence was the
following conversation took place over the telephone between
Headquarters and the offending subaltern.

"Hullo! Is that Ack Battery?"

"Yes, sir. Just a moment, sir. I'll put you through to the mess, sir."

"Right you are, but look sharp about it, please. Yes. Hullo! Is that
an officer? Well, I say, have you been firing just now?"

"Yes, sir. So-and-so is doing a practice shoot from the O.P."

"Put me on to him at once."

"Yes, sir."

A brief interval follows, in which various mutterings are overheard by
the signaller in the exchange, who smiles to himself as he continues
to listen.

"Hullo! hullo!! Damn these young officers! Will they never learn to
answer quickly? Slow, slow is not the word for it. Will have to go
round and shake them up a bit. This is absurd. Hullo! there. Hullo! Is
he never going to come? Exchange, can't you get him?"

"Just a moment, sir."

"Hullo! hullo!!"

"Yes, sir. So-and-so speaking."

"What the devil are you firing at, young sir?"

"Well, sir, I was given permission to fire a few rounds----"

"Where?" (p. 018)

"At the cross roads, sir."

"Seen any of them fall?"

"Not as yet, sir."

"Well, for God's sake stop firing at once, sir. Why, man, your shells
are dropping in Aubers, and they are retaliating like the very devil.
There goes another, just outside."

"Very sorry, sir. Couldn't make out where the shells were falling."

"Well, report to me as soon as you get back, remember. Have no time to
listen to an explanation now."

"Very good, sir. Good-bye, sir."

An animated discussion now takes place in the telephone exchange, and
the unanimous opinion is that poor So-and-so is "for it" and will
perhaps even get the sack, and who will succeed to the Right Section
if he leaves the Battery?

In these