ivisional rest.

Reclinghem was the next move, made on April 9, and on April 11 there
was a Brigade field day, another reinforcing draft arriving on the
same day. Then on the night of April 21-22 the Battalion relieved the
1st King's Royal Rifle Corps in the Souchez second sector of the line.
So the end of the month arrived with alternate duty in the trenches
and rest in billets.

More reinforcements, to replace wastage, arrived in the early part of
May, and on the 23rd the Battalion was in the trenches at Berthouval,
marching to its billets at Camblain l'Abbe on May 30. Working parties
were naturally provided for the trenches while the Battalion was
resting, and two men were accidentally wounded on the 4th. But things
were moderately quiet until the night of June 10-11. On that date the
Battalion relieved the 17th Middlesex Regiment in the Carency left
sector of the front.

On June 21 Lieutenant-Colonel Vernon was wounded whilst visiting a sap
head held by Jerry Delaney, the boxer, Major H.V. Pirie assuming
command of the Battalion until he returned to duty. The Battalion was
relieved by the 1st King's Royal Rifle Corps on the night of June
22-23, and proceeded to billets at Villiers aux Bois. The next move,
on the 27th, was made to Estree Cauchie.

THE SOMME FIGHTING.--Then came the move to the Somme and the July of
1916, when the average life of the infantry subaltern in France was
only worth three weeks. Many, indeed, were killed within a week of
their crossing the Channel, on the very first day of entering the
trenches and taking part in the British advance. The 23rd Royal
Fusiliers were engaged in the whole of the desperate fighting on the
Somme, including the battle of Delville Wood, the story of which is
told in another part of this volume.

Following this bath of blood, on August 1 the Battalion left Bund
support trench, two companies going to Longueval Alley, and two
remaining to garrison and dig trenches at Montauban.

Becoming united again, on the 29th the Battalion, under the
impression that it was going out for a promised rest after its battle,
moved to The Citadel, Sandpit Valley, and on to Mericourt l'Abbe;
thence on to Fremont (passing through Amiens), Naours, Longuevillette,
Authie, and Bus les Artois; and next, instead of the longed-for rest,
found itself back in the trenches again at Hebuterne, relieving the
1st Coldstream Guards!

September was spent in the Hebuterne sector, and October saw