lode. They must have
been a rotten lot of ammunition. On arriving at Bienvillers the
observers got a billet in the cellars of a shattered house at the
north end of the village. A little later I went to Fonquevillers to
get news from D.H.Q.--and instructions for next day. The Divisional
Staff were quartered in some Nissen huts. When I arrived they had no
particular news, but I was asked to send a post of observers again, if
possible, to the east end of Logeast Wood, which was thought to be
still in our hands. After this I returned to Bienvillers about
midnight and arranged for an early start next day.

In the morning (March 26) we were cooking tea and bacon about 3.45
A.M. when a very tired and draggled officer came in. He said he had
just ridden over from Bapaume on a motor-cycle and he told us a sorry
tale. He evidently thought that the Germans had broken right through
on the Fifth Army front (i.e. on our right), and that the British
forces were about to be surrounded. Bapaume was on fire, and the
British Army defeated and broken in the south. This was the first
definite news I had of the misfortunes in the Somme area. It was
disquieting enough and I determined to approach Logeast Wood with
caution and to keep a sharp look-out for unusual movement as we went
forward. Accompanied by Ptes. Fail and Ewart I went across country
towards Bucquoy as the light was beginning to break. We noticed that
the large trees on the road to Hannescamps had been prepared by the
R.E.'s for felling with gun cotton--the charges being ready and tied
to the trunks so as to throw them across the road. The roads were
already full, mostly horse transport pouring rapidly through
Bienvillers towards Souastre. Transport from the south-east coming in
our direction through Hannescamps appeared to be in a panic and
expecting pursuit by the German cavalry. Once we got away from the
road and reached Le Quesnoy Farm there was little movement to be seen.
A few small parties of our men moving towards us across the open and
here and there a limber. Nothing in a hurry, nothing at all to
indicate a retreat on our own front, though it was actually taking
place at the time. There was no sound of firing, and no shells. A
battery of field guns still lay in a hollow just west of Bucquoy, and
this sight rather reassured me; so I decided to push on a bit. Leaving
my two observers on the ridge west of Dierville Farm I approached the
ruined buildings of the farm which