r on a course, he was
with his company, in the line or out of it. In fact, it was a record of
"full steam ahead" until the day he was killed amongst his men. What
Tinker was to "A" so was Nidd to "B" company, and his greatest regret,
when at last hospital claimed him, was in leaving the men whom he knew
so well. His departure was followed by a long illness, and it was a
great blow to his friends to hear of his death after the armistice in
his own home at Cheadle Hulme. His name can be added to the long list of
victims of the great German offensive in March.

Strict training was indulged in during these weeks, and in addition hot,
laborious days were occupied by rehearsals of the manning of the Red
Line in the neighbourhood of Souastre, to say nothing of skeleton
counter-attacks upon Beer Trench, Rum Trench, and Stout Trench, near
Gommecourt. We never knew the point of these names unless they were to
act as a stimulant to the vigour of our thrusts, the troops labouring
under the delusion that the trenches were filled with the liquids
indicated. At all events they were not there during the rehearsals in
spite of the hot weather. But if these diversions caused us to attain
the boiling point of excitement, the arrival of General Byng on May 21st
to witness a special stunt by the 7th almost burst the thermometer. A
source of some interest was the presence of an American battalion
consisting of raw troops of three weeks' New York training, to which the
127th brigade was acting as godfather. They worked diligently and with a
keen appreciation of any hints supplied to them by their British
friends. Also, not to be outdone by our frequent displays of football,
they regularly utilised our ground for baseball, of which game they
possessed a few brilliant exponents. We soon grew to like our new
allies, and we were rather sorry when they departed to join their own
division.

On June 6th the 42nd division took over the line once more and were not
relieved of responsibility of the front until Sept. 6th, sixteen days
after the big offensive had commenced. The 7th occupied the part of the
front which we knew so well at Hebuterne, relieving a battalion of the
New Zealand Division. The "Diggers" had worked hard upon these trenches
with the result that they were now in excellent condition. A good spell
of weather also assisted in the comfort of the troops. Col. Manger's
policy was to give the Hun no rest, and he began to put his principle