n endeavoured to give him as warm a reception as possible,
and we had information that his quarters were changed at least once in
consequence of their activity.

I issued an Order of the Day to the troops, announcing the presence of
the august visitor on our front, and urging them to give His Majesty a
good demonstration of what the "contemptible little army" could do.
Right splendidly did they respond.

Throughout the night of the 31-1st, the 2nd Cavalry Division was
heavily attacked all along the Wytschaete-Messines ridge. The enemy
gained a footing in the village of Wytschaete, broke through the line
north of Messines and turned the left flank of the trenches held by
the London Scottish. With devoted gallantry the reserve company of
this battalion made repeated charges with the bayonet, which checked
the enemy's advance and enabled the battalion to hold the position.
This it did until daylight. The Germans were then discovered
to be well round both flanks, and a retirement became inevitable. This
was carried out very steadily under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire
in the direction of Wulverghem.

At 3 a.m. the 12th Lancers, the Northumberland Fusiliers, and the
Lincolns made a counter-attack and re-established the original line.
The cavalry fought on foot with the bayonet in the narrow streets of
the village, and were reported to me as equal to the best infantry in
such work.

By 6.30 a.m. the enemy had been reinforced, and were able to drive
back the 2nd Cavalry Division with the troops attached and reoccupy
Wytschaete. This loss, coupled with the enemy's seizure of the ridge
north of Messines, rendered the latter place untenable by the 1st
Cavalry Division. They retired slowly to an entrenched line north of
Wulverghem.

Somewhat the same kind of situation arose here now as on the day
before at Gheluvelt. Since the night of October 30th the Cavalry Corps
and attached troops had been holding on to the Wytschaete--Messines
ridge against overwhelming numbers of the enemy. They were utterly
exhausted, and the French marching to their succour were still some
way off.

At 5 a.m. two battalions of the 2nd Corps were despatched from
Bailleul to Neuve-Eglise, and further reinforcements were ordered to
follow them an hour later. These troops had only themselves just got
back into reserve, after a most trying and exhausting experience on
the right of our line lasting for nearly three weeks. They also stood
in dire nee