limber per
company. This sounds simpler than a mixture of limbers and pack animals,
but experience in Palestine had proved the value of pack animals, and
subsequent experiences in France proved the danger of all the eggs in
one basket, or the limber method of carrying these guns.

Life at St. Valery was rather pleasant, though it was very cold and much
depended on the billet. Our cooks were introduced to the mysteries of
the omelette, and they learned by experience that these delicacies, even
though by being kept in an oven for an hour or so remain hot, yet their
virtue departs. A group of the officers was taken by the local
photographer and one appreciated then how many new faces there were.

Whenever we had got our ordnance issues distributed we entrained for
Bourguette on the 28th and from there marched a few miles to a hutment
camp at La Lacque. Here we lived comfortably for a little in what had
been a fine camp, but it had rather a deserted air, as the German
offensive had brought it rather near the line, though that was some six
miles away. Our tactical job was to look after a third line, and this
line was studied by the companies. A water-logged, uninteresting part it
was.

There was much talk about defence in depth, which we in our innocence
had thought had been universally adopted since the famous defence of
Verdun by the French in 1916. The last side show at La Lacque was a
lecture and demonstration given by Colonel Campbell in bayonet fighting.
Most regiments in France had heard it, and we were lucky to have the
chance. Apart from the lecture itself, it was a striking lesson of how
to talk to troops. One of his stories was of a Jock after a charge
finding himself opposite a large Hun who put up his hands saying, "Me
never fight, me shoot minnenwerfer." "Oh, you do, do you," was the
reply, "you're the ---- I've been looking for for two years." Followed by
the necessary action.

When at La Lacque we received our gas training. It took the form of a
route march to a place six miles away, where the whole Division being
assembled as at sports, various demonstrations were made, including the
firing of projectors--tabloid gas training.

Nothing more exciting happened. The Bosche offensive was over, and
entraining at Aire on 7th May we were taken to Maroeuil and marched to
Hills Camp in the back area behind Vimy ridge. We took over from the
54th Canadian Infantry on the night 7/8th May in the third line, which
i