fortress
more or less since the days of Julius Caesar. The Grand Place is
delightful and quaint. From it, through various archways, one looks
down upon the rich verdure of the fields that stretch far off into the
distance.

We had a parade of our four battalions one day, when General
Smith-Dorrien came to inspect us. The place chosen was a green slope
not far from the entrance to the town. The General reviewed the men,
and then gave a talk to the officers. As far as I can recollect, he
was most sanguine about the speedy termination of the war. He told us
that all we had to do was to keep worrying the Germans, and that the
final crushing stroke would be given on the east by the Russians. He
also told us that to us was assigned the place of honour on the extreme
left of the British line next to the French Colonial troops. I (p. 053)
overheard an irreverent officer near me say, "Damn the place of honour",
and I thought of Sam Hughes and his warning about not objecting to
swearing. The General, whom I had met before, asked me to walk with
him up to his car and then said, "I have had reports about the
Canadian Artillery, and I am delighted at their efficiency. I have
also heard the best accounts of the Infantry, but do you think, in the
event of a sudden onslaught by the Germans, that the Canadians will
hold their ground? They are untried troops." I told him that I was
sure that one thing the Canadians would do would be to hold on. Before
a fortnight had passed, in the awful struggle near Langemarcke, the
Canadians proved their ability to hold their ground.

Shortly after the General's visit we were ordered to move, and by some
oversight on Murdoch MacDonald's part, my kit was not ready in time to
be taken by the Brigade transport. In consequence, to my dismay, I saw
the men march off from Terdeghem to parts unknown, and found myself
seated on my kit by the wayside with no apparent hope of following. I
administered a rebuke to Murdoch as sternly as was consistent with the
position of a chaplain, and then asked him to see if he could find any
sort of vehicle at all to carry my stuff off in the direction towards
which the battalion had marched. I must say I felt very lonely and a
"bit out of it", as I sat by the wayside wondering if I had lost the
Brigade for good. In the meantime, Murdoch scoured the village for a
horse and carriage. Suddenly, to my surprise, a despatch rider on a
motorcycle came down the road and stop