glory in it, and people think that we have an easy time,
but two of my predecessors have been killed and I expect to get
knocked out myself some day." A year later he was killed near Cambrai,
after he had faithfully done his duty in caring for the bodies of the
slain.

Our front trenches were now to the right of Hill 70, in advance of
Lieven, and it seemed as if we were going to be stationed in the
neighbourhood for some time, for the rumour was that the Canadians had
to complete their work at Vimy by the capture of Lens. Barlin,
therefore, and the area around it was a great centre of Canadian life
and activity. We had our large Canadian tent-hospitals, our brigade
schools, and various Y.M.C.A. places of entertainment, besides our
officers' clubs.

In an open field near my billet were stationed the horse lines of our
Divisional Train, and it used to give me great pleasure to pass the
long rows of wagons which by the constant labour of the men were kept
in prime condition. The paint was always fresh, and all the chains
were polished as if they were merely for show. It would be hard (p. 209)
for people at home to realize that the wagons which had been used
for years under such rough conditions always looked as if they had
just come out of the shop, but that was the case. The constant
attention to detail in the army, the smartness of the men, and the
good turn-out of the horses and limbers, have a great moral effect
upon every department of the service. The men were always grumbling
about polishing buttons and chains, but I told them that the
impression of efficiency it gave one made it quite worth while. A
Division that could turn out such a fine looking Train as we had could
always be depended upon to do its duty.

CHAPTER XXII. (p. 210)

A TRAGEDY OF WAR.

There is nothing which brings home to the heart with such force the
iron discipline of war as the execution of men who desert from the
front line. It was my painful duty on one occasion to have to witness
the carrying out of the death sentence. One evening I was informed by
the A.P.M. that a man in one of our brigades was to be shot the next
morning, and I was asked to go and see him and prepare him for death.
The sentence had already been read to him at six o'clock, and the
brigade chaplain was present, but the A.P.M., wished me to take the
case in hand. We motored over to the village where the pri