years and had got completely out of touch with
company work. But I have no doubt now that in the events which
happened I was very lucky to leave the 50th Division at this juncture.
In six weeks' time I was, through the good offices of the Battalion
H.Q., given an Intelligence job with our new Division; and the
experience I had gained with the 50th Division was not wasted as I had
feared it might be. Also there went with me from the 149th Infantry
Brigade four highly-trained observers who formed the nucleus and
backbone of the 42nd Divisional observers. On returning to the 7th
N.F. I lost my acting-captaincy and became second in command to C
Company. Also I had to part with many good friends in the old Brigade:
some of them I was destined never to meet again. Lieut. E.W. Styles
who was attached to the 149th Trench-Mortar Battery was unhappily
killed during the German offensive; a great friend whom I shall always
miss. My bombing orderly, L.-C. Fairclough, was also killed during the
same operations.

When I joined the 7th N.F. they were stationed at St. Jean--in Alnwick
Camp. And here the battalion said good-bye to the Brigade.

It was a singular turn of fate that this should occur here. The 7th
N.F. had fought their first battle with the Brigade on this spot in
April 1915, and the name of the camp was of course taken from the town
where their H.Q. were stationed at home. When he came to say farewell
to the battalion, General Riddell referred to this curious
coincidence and also bade us remember the regimental motto 'Quo Fata
Vocant' (' Whither the Fates call'). So we left the Ypres Salient for
the last time. And although I went into Belgium again with the Army of
Occupation, I have never set foot in Flanders again. Of all countries
on earth it is surely the most dismal and unhappy. At least so it
appeared to me.

XXX

DIGGING TRENCHES ABOUT LOOS

Before we left the 50th Division we learnt that we were to join the
42nd (East Lancashire) Territorial Division, commanded at this time by
Major-General A. Solly-Flood, C.M.G., D.S.O. The latter Division had
seen service in Egypt and Gallipoli before coming to France, and they
were now resting in the Bethune area, having just left the trenches
between Cambrin and Loos. This was in the I Corps area of the First
Army. As pioneers to the 42nd Division the 7th N.F. became Divisional
troops, directly under the command of the Divisional Staff and no
longer in a brigade.