ed in some old wooden huts, possibly constructed by
the French; and though very comfortable inside they were hardly
bomb-proof. At nights all the back areas round Ypres were heavily
bombed and a lot of horses were killed every night and a certain
number of men as well.

On October 27 the poor shattered remnants of my battalion passed
B.H.Q., very weary and very few in numbers. Besides the Battalion H.Q.
Company there were just enough men to make one decent-sized company.
Lieut.-Col. G. Scott Jackson stopped to speak to me, and the tears
trickled down his weather-beaten face, as he said 'Buckley, this has
fairly done me.' Only those who have had a fine battalion cut to
pieces can realise the feelings of their commander at such a moment.

I set to work with my observers packing a wall of sandbags round the
wooden huts, as a protection against bomb splinters. It was not
possible to protect the roof, but these sandbags were effective
against anything but a direct hit.

I have never known German night bombing more persistent or more heavy
than it was in the Salient just at this time. And although we never
got a bomb in the same field as our camp they dropped close enough to
be disturbing. A camp with some of the Divisional details was struck
some little way from us, and the same night D.H.Q. at Elverdinghe
Chateau were bombed, several motor-lorries being set on fire.

It was too far back for us to be troubled with much shelling, and the
German long-range guns fired mostly over our heads at the more
attractive targets of Poperinghe and Proven. One day during this short
rest, October 29, I had a ride round with Lieut. Odell in search of a
field-cashier's office where money could be drawn to pay Brigade
details. After a long ride to different places we landed up at a
Canadian Cashier's Office near Poperinghe; at this time the Canadians
were on Passchendaele Ridge. About November 5 the Brigade returned to
the line for a few days before the Division was taken out. On that day
I returned with the Staff-Captain and Capt. G. Bell (6th N.F.,
Assistant-Staff-Captain) to Huddersfield Dugouts. On the following
day I walked nearly as far as the Steenbeke at Martin's Mill, and the
ground around Langemarck was about as dreary and shattered as any that
I have ever seen. It was well described to me once as 'utter squalor.'
Next day I went to the camp of the 4th N.F. south of Langemarck and to
Marsouine camp, to arrange certain details of