vres lasted some eight days.
Salisbury Plain and the surrounding country was the headquarters of the
Northern Army, while the Southern Army was camped beyond the Downs to the
south-west.

From the very start of the concentration of the troops the weather
promised to be of a very trying character. The sun shone with almost
tropical force. The large bodies of troops, moving through the narrow
roadways and lanes, hemmed in by the high hedges, churned up clouds of
dust. Moving in the rear of the troops thousands of wagons of the hired
transport made matters worse. I doubt if ever a more extraordinary
collection of vehicles and beasts of burden was ever got together
anywhere in the world. Big furniture vans, drawn by four or three
wretched-looking horses, would be seen just in front of two-wheeled carts
drawn by a couple of powerful Clydesdales. The majority of the drivers,
being civilians, did much as they pleased. Once a section of the
transport was committed to a long piece of road or narrow lane without
cross-roads it simply had to go on; it couldn't turn round; it trusted to
Providence to reach its destination. I think it was the third or fourth
day that the task set to the armies was the occupation of a long ridge of
the Downs, some eight or ten miles south-west from Salisbury.

Operations were to begin at six in the morning and cease at two p.m., and
the visiting officers were attached that day to the Northern Army. The
starting points of the two armies were at about equal distances from the
objective. The point at issue was--who was to occupy the long ridge
position first? It was frightfully hot; I have never known it hotter in
England. I was glad of my Australian hat and light khaki uniform as I
rode along the ranks of the sweltering infantry; the Scotch in their
small glengarrys, the artillery with their old-fashioned forage caps, all
were smothered in dust.

As the Northern Army advanced commanding officers anxiously sought for
news of the enemy. About half-past twelve the visiting officers decided
to ask permission to push forward to the head of the advance guard and
see what was happening, for the hour to stop the battle was getting close
at hand and no enemy was in sight. We pushed forward right to the slopes
of the rising downs. Still no signs of the enemy beyond a few small
cavalry patrols, which promptly retired before those of the Northern
Army. We were taken up to the crown of the ridges.

On arrival t