, when the colonel completed a
telephone conversation with the brigade-major. The Division on our left
had not gained its first objective because of exceedingly stout
opposition on the part of a German corps, who had gained a fine
fighting reputation during the past two weeks. The --th south of our
Division had done very well, capturing and advancing beyond the village
of Templeux le Guerard. Our Divisional infantry had cleared Ronssoy
after tough fighting, but their farther progress was checked because of
the hold-up on the left. Reserve battalions of the Division chiefly
affected by this resistance were to attack as soon as possible.

"The Australians have done extraordinarily well down south," the
colonel told me. "They simply marched through with their tanks,
capturing guns and prisoners wholesale, and are on their most distant
objective."

Then he rang up Major Simpson. "Don't take your battery forward until
you get definite orders from the Brigade," he said. "The enemy still
hold the high ground north of us."

Major Bullivant, always keen on making an early reconnaissance during a
set battle, rang up at noon to say that he had been as far as a high
wood, a mile and a half in front of his battery. "I got a very long
view from there," he went on, "and saw no sign at all of any Boche...."

The colonel, putting on his pince-nez, studied his map and asked the
major for the exact position. "Yes," he observed, "that's on the 140
contour, and you must have seen as far as ---- copse."

His next remark revealed how his mind was working. "Did you notice any
tracks from the wood towards the batteries?... Two tracks!... but my
map shows a line of barbed wire running across.... Good! ... there is a
useable track as far as 19 c, and by striking east before you come to
the cross tracks it is possible to find an opening in the wire....
Good, Bullivant.... I expect I shall move the batteries that way....
No, no orders to move yet!"

At 1.15 P.M., after further talks with the brigade-major, the colonel
told me to send out this message to the four batteries:--

"Brigade will advance as soon as possible to position in F 20,
or if that locality is full up, in F 21 c. Prepare to advance,
and report to Brigade commander at F 20 c 4, 2."

The colonel's horses had been ordered up from the waggon line. "Hubbard
and I will go on," he told me, "and Hubbard can commence laying out
lines to the batteries' new positions. You