at D.H.Q. had moved forward to Grevillers, and on September
3 I decided to make a move forward to Loupart Wood, in order to get
the observers more in touch with them.

We were badly handicapped in all the succeeding stages of the campaign
by having no transport to move our belongings. Besides the ordinary
infantryman's equipment, no light weight, we had our blankets, three
telescopes, compasses, and a lot of maps, books, and stationery, and
our daily ration to carry as well. By good luck, however, we found an
old German hand-cart in very fair condition about the station yard;
and we used this hand-cart for getting our gear along for many a weary
mile. In fact we finally dropped it at Le Quesnoy on November 5, not
because it was worn out, but because other transport was found for us.
By the evening of September 3 we got settled into some dugouts at the
north end of Loupart Wood. There were a few dead Germans scattered
about, but a lot more dead horses than men. And as the weather was
hot, the air was none too pleasant.

Next day I visited D.H.Q. who were in some tents outside Grevillers,
and Capt. Kirsopp told me that the observers were urgently needed. It
was proposed to send a party of them forward on bicycles to keep in
touch with the retreating Germans. And so the same day Ptes. King and
Drake (7th N.F.) and F. Greenwood (10th M.B.) went forward towards
Havrincourt Wood to get such news as they could. It had been intended
at first that I should go with them, but it was found impossible to
provide me with a horse. The British forces had already taken Bapaume,
Villers-au-Flos, and Riencourt, and the enemy were supposed to be
retreating fast in the direction of the old Hindenburg Line which lay
beyond Havrincourt Wood. Pte. King's party did good work; they went
through Barastre and Bus in front of the advance guards of the
infantry, and met with no opposition beyond occasional long-range
machine-gun fire. Their first O.P. was just south of Bertincourt, and
the following days near Neuville-Bourjonval. For this expedition Pte.
King was awarded the Military Medal. On September 3 I went with Pte.
Turner to some high ground just south of Bapaume and stayed there
several hours. From here little shelling could be seen, the main body
of the enemy must have retired as far as Havrincourt Wood. Long-range
shells fell near Bapaume and the railway during the day. The same
evening I reported at D.H.Q., and found things pretty lively