had
called upon the battle surplus of each unit, and had made a composite
battalion of them to act in reserve amongst the trenches N.E. of
Gommecourt. These people, as well as the gunners, came in for the gas
shelling, and it was very disappointing to hear of our own men, like
C.S.M. Shields, Sgt. Tabbron, etc., who had been left behind as battle
surplus, going down gassed. Fortunately, most of them rejoined the
battalion later. During this day's fighting some L.F's. were staggered
to find an old French woman in a cellar in Bucquoy, and they had the
utmost difficulty in persuading her to leave her "home." That was her
abode and she was prepared to live in it whatever the conditions.

The next few days resulted in a complete victory for mud. Rain
continued, and work as we would the conditions could not be conquered.
Men stood in it, and when they could, slept in it. To move about meant
wading through it, in places up to the thighs, and this was steadily
wearing out the last flicker of humanity and grit in our men. Casualties
were also increasing. Lieut. Bateman was wounded in Essarts whilst on
his way back to the battalion from a Course, and in "B" company 2nd-Lt.
Woodworth was hit. Eventually we relieved the 5th in the front line near
Ablainzevelle, where we found the trenches in an even worse condition,
if that were possible. Real joy possessed our souls, although it is
doubtful whether at the time we were capable of appreciating it, when
the news was definite that the division was to go right out for a rest.
On the night of April 7th, the 2nd 7th West Ridings (62nd division) came
up and relieved us, and the Fleur de Lys set their faces joyfully to the
west and marched off in good spirits, although with exhausted bodies,
conscious of having done their duty in stopping the mad rush of the
Huns.

CHAPTER VIII.

Worrying the Hun.

Never since the weary entry into Katia did the 7th Manchesters present
such a sorry appearance as they did when they straggled into Soustre in
the grey hours of April 8th. It was an effort to drag one leg in front
of another, and our feet were sodden and painful. Almost every particle
of clothing and equipment was smothered with red, clayey mud, and thin,
tired faces were covered with a many days' growth of beard. Here we
struggled into a row of lorries and were carried off to Vauchelles to be
housed in huts vacated by some army school. After a good meal and a
sleep we were roused i