t was quite dark and
still snowing. My flashlight was of little use for it only lit up the
snowflakes immediately in front of me, and threw no light upon my
path. I did not know how I should be able to get back in the darkness
through the maze of shell holes and broken wire. Luckily a signaller
came up to me and seeing my plight led me over to a light railway
track which had just been laid, and told me that if I kept on it I
should ultimately get back to the Arras-Bethune road. It was a hard
scramble, for the track was narrow and very slippery, and had to be
felt with the feet rather than seen with the eyes. I was terribly
tired, for I had had a long walk and the excitement of the day and
talking to such numbers of men had been very fatiguing. To add to my
difficulties, our batteries lay between me and the road and were now
in full action. My old dread of being killed by our own guns seemed to
be justified on the present occasion. Gun flashes came every few
seconds with a blinding effect, and I thought I should never get
behind those confounded batteries. I had several tumbles in the
snow-covered mud, but there was nothing to be done except to struggle
on and trust to good luck to get through. When at last I reached (p. 172)
the road I was devoutly thankful to be there and I made my way to the
dugout of the signallers, where I was most kindly received and hospitably
entertained, in spite of the fact that I kept dropping asleep in the
midst of the conversation. One of our signal officers, in the morning,
had gone over with some men in the first wave of the attack. He made
directly for the German signallers' dugout and went down with his
followers, and, finding about forty men there, told them they were his
prisoners. They were astonished at his appearance, but he took
possession of the switch-board and told them that the Canadians had
captured the Ridge. One of the Germans was sent up to find out, and
returned with the report that the Canadians held the ground. Our men
at once took possession of all the telegraph instruments and prevented
information being sent back to the enemy in the rear lines. Having
done this, our gallant Canadians ordered the prisoners out of the
dugout and then sat down and ate the breakfast which they had just
prepared. This was only one of many deeds of cool daring done that
day. On one occasion the Germans were running so fast in front of one
of our battalions that our men could not resist fol