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the relief of "C" Company. Two platoons of "D" Company were ordered to
move to the relief at once; the remaining two were instructed to hold
the flank position they had taken up, until the situation became a
little clearer, and meantime they were to try to get someone, whose job
it was to hold that part of the line, to take over from them; if they
succeeded in this they were to rejoin their company in "C" Company's
area.

The first thing to be done was to ascertain what had really taken place.
There was a strong suspicion that an attack had been made on the right.
Had it developed on our own front? Were our posts in front still intact?
"C" Company, like everyone else, had had a most uncomfortable time, and
they had not sufficient men to send out patrols to visit their posts. It
was, therefore, determined that as soon as "D" Company arrived, strong
patrols should be sent along the trench to gain touch with the battalion
on our right, if there was one; and forward to find out how the posts
had fared. As soon as this information was obtained, the relief was to
take place, with any new dispositions the information obtained rendered
desirable.

Our first bit of news arrived from a curious quarter. In the general
excitement, Stretcher-Bearer Chester of "C" Company had not been noticed
for some time, although he had not been missed, and now while the
arrangements were being made he arrived at the Company Headquarters. On
being asked where he had been, he told us that he had been out at the
post at the end of the communication trench to see if there was anything
doing in his line. He had found the post and everything was all right.
This information was most reassuring, but it was decided that the patrol
must be sent in spite of it, and with instructions that it was to find
out about the other post as well.

The connecting post half-way up the communication trench had been a
particularly warm corner, and Corpl. I. Ross had been wounded in several
places early in the barrage. In spite of this he had refused to go back,
and had carried on for over an hour, visiting the various posts and
doing invaluable work. It was only now that under a direct order he
consented to leave the line, taking with him to Battalion Headquarters
the first report of the situation. For his plucky conduct he was awarded
the Military Medal.

The patrol sent to "C" Company's posts in front, found that in the
trench intact. After a consultation with t