une 4th. Carroll and Brand went back to rest with the two new
batteries, and Kitty and I remained in reserve, as they wanted us to
take part in a raid that we were going to do, and, though our own
brigade was in rest, our batteries were selected as a compliment to
take part in the raid, which we learned was to come off on Monday,
June 5th, so we tried to go to bed early on Sunday after our troublous
Saturday night. However, we learnt that the division on our right was
doing a raid, and the Bosche started retaliating on Albert, the town
we were in, so we had to spend another night in the cellars.

June 5th. We spent the day getting ammunition up, 400 rounds,
registering our guns, &c. We found our emplacements damaged by the
bombardment of the night before and had to make one new one. We meant
to return to our billet for lunch at 2-0, but we actually came back at
6-0--in time for high tea. At 8-30 we paraded, six men from each
battery to work four guns, and got to the trenches to find everything
quiet. We prepared our ammunition, &c., and were finished just before
11-0, at which time all our artillery suddenly burst forth into a
hundred thunderstorms, and absolutely rained shells on the German
lines like hail. At 11-20 we started, and put over about 70 rounds
from each gun, and finished at 11-35, and returned to the third line
as soon as possible to collect there to take our guns out. I quite
enjoyed it all; there was a huge row on, and you could not tell if any
German shells were coming at you, there was such a noise. It was quite
exciting. I was surprised to find that it is really not nearly half so
bad when both sides are hard at it and our own getting decidedly the
best of it, as when occasional shots keep arriving.

We were glad to get out all right at 1-30 and back to our billet. The
next day (Tuesday) we moved back to Bresle, and arrived there in the
evening. Kitty and I had to go up to the trenches to collect some
things, then we had tea, and came along in motor wagons, &c.

At present we are back where we were in tents; it rains fairly often,
and, as a rest, we have to parade at 6-45 for field days. I am going
to the Suffolks to-night.

I am awfully sorry this letter has been so long, but I have been made
O.C. group of four batteries, and I have had to work all day and most
of the night.

I am very fit and well, and hope to be home on June 15th. Old Wroxan,
who shared a room with me at Cambridge, was killed