Second-Lieut. E.W. Styles was also there on a similar job.

He had just come out; and being anxious to see something of the famous
Hill 60 trenches he went off by himself into the front line, and, I
suppose, asked various questions of the sentries. Anyway, when next I
saw him he was coming back down the Cutting followed at an interval by
a sentry with a fixed bayonet, who asked me if I knew who he was. My
reply was no doubt disappointing to the soldier, who thought he had
really captured a spy this time, and earned his two weeks' leave--the
reward for arresting a spy.

On March 29, before leaving the area, I acted as guide to some
Canadian troops, from Cafe Belge to the Canal Dugouts. They seemed to
be fine fellows and well up to strength in all their companies. The
same night our battalion went back to Scottish Lines at Ouderdom, but
we moved back to Canada Huts next day.

FOOTNOTES:

[4] A special friend, who unhappily was killed at Wancourt in 1917.

VII

KEMMEL

On March 31 I rode over with various company officers to Kemmel, and
we looked over the trenches H2-K1 below Wytschaete Ridge. We were to
take over this part of the line from the Canadians in two days' time.
It was once a quiet spot, and I think we were sent there for that
reason. But we soon found that we had come out of the frying-pan only
to go into the fire. The battle that was still raging at St. Eloi
about a mile to the north was destined to alter the character of the
once peaceful Kemmel area. I had now changed my mess. All the old
officers of A Company had disappeared since I first joined the
battalion; so I accepted an invitation from Capt. G.F. Ball to join D
Company mess. I was glad to do this, for not only was Capt. Ball the
kindest and best of fellows, but there were old friends
there--2nd-Lieuts. Peters and J. Robinson--whom I knew well at
Alnwick.

On April 1 the battalion set out for the new area, marching first to
Locre and halting there for the midday meal. Later on, towards night,
D Company proceeded to R.E. Farm, a support billet just vacated by
Canadians, and stayed the night there. The Canadians left a lot of
excellent ration tobacco behind them both here and in the trenches.

[Illustration: Wytschaete Ridge--Trench Map, April 1916.]

Next day we went forward to the new trenches. They were a change
indeed from those in the Salient, and it was evident that there had
not been much heavy shelling there. Instead of