warfare by evacuating all the horrible ground in front of the Redan,
which we had clung to with characteristic British bull-dog tenacity.

Lt.-Col. Carr, D.S.O., having proceeded on leave, Major Allan commanded
the battalion during the succeeding days. It was found later, however,
that the C.O. would not return, having been placed on the sick list at
home. The division was destined for Bethune and it was a very pleasant
five days' march that took us to that area. On the first day, Nov. 16th,
passing through Leffinckoucke, near Dunkirk, we reached Teteghem, while
the next day took us to Esquelbec, just outside Wormhoudt. The following
two days required only short distances to the Hazebrouck district, but
the fifth day was longer, and, marching past the divisional commander in
Aire, we arrived at Mazinghem, a small village just off the main Lillers
road.

The battalion spent a few days here, and a really happy time it was. The
villagers had not become blase to British soldiers, and they gave our
men a hearty welcome in their billets. It was with no small pride that
the cure, with whom the padre and myself were lucky enough to be
billeted, informed us that General Petain had at one time spent many
happy days in his house, for his uncle had been the cure here. Whilst in
this village we received the news of the wonderful Cambrai attack by
General Byng, and we had a curious feeling that he had no right to do
that without asking the 42nd to help him, for we naturally possessed a
fatherly interest in Havrincourt and all its works. The first flush of
news gave us no details, and we were perplexed to know what had happened
to "Jerry's Wire" which we knew was formidable enough. Then the stories
of tanks upon tanks drifted through, and we began to understand it.

It was here that Lt.-Col. Bromfield, of the Leicestershire Regt. first
saw the 7th and assumed command. He was due for leave, however, and had
just emerged from a trying time at Paschendaele, so Major Allan was soon
left in charge once more. We did not remain long at Mazinghem for our
duty was to relieve the 25th division in the line at Givenchy, before La
Bassee. As everyone knows, this was one of the sectors of the original
British line so that everything connected with it was essentially
English. Since the fighting at Festubert in 1915 comparative peace had
reigned along this front and we were content to allow it to remain so
after our noisy experiences at Ypres and