proved a great help in directing me to wounded
British soldiers, who might otherwise have been lost sight of.

By this time fighting was in full swing, and our men had thrown up the
first line of trenches in semi-circular form, some six or seven miles to
the east of the town.

Very soon the wounded and German prisoners made their appearance, and
doctors and chaplains were busily engaged. Most of the prisoners had a
very scared look, for we learned afterwards that they had been told that
we cut our prisoners' throats, or shot them out of hand, and their joy
was great at finding even their personal belongings restored to them.

I was much struck with the characteristic behaviour of 'Tommy Atkins' to
these men; even to the extent of sharing his rations with them, and
handing out his 'fags,' which was an act of real self-denial.

I owe my grateful thanks to one Uhlan, whose saddle fell to my lot, and
which I henceforth used, and regarded as one of the most comfortable I
have ever ridden on.

A singularly unfortunate case came under my notice among the first batch
of wounded brought in. An officer of the 'Borders' in the dead of
night, hearing as he thought a German advance, left his trench to
reconnoitre, and after a fruitless search was returning to his men in
the thick early morning mist, when a sentinel, ignorant of his having
gone out, shot him as he approached the trenches. The poor chap was
badly hit in the lungs, and made a brave struggle for life, but alas!
died a few hours afterwards.

The Divisional Head-quarters being established at Ypres, my unit moved
out to its Brigade, which occupied the line of trenches in the
neighbourhood of Zandvoorde.

Arriving at our position in the dusk of a quickly parting day, we found
ourselves actually posted in front of the firing line. Disagreeable as
the experience was, there was nothing for it but to stick it. In a wood
close by, the enemy had machine guns, supported by a body of Uhlans.
Disturbing sniping took place at intervals through the night, which
rendered the bivouac unpleasant in the extreme. We slept on the ground
between the wagons; and under the circumstances I felt it wise to keep
as low down as possible, as 'fire' is in no sense discriminating.

Our Brigade Head-quarters were at Kruiseck, to which place I rode early
one morning with our Major, to inspect farmhouses, with a view to
arranging Field Dressing Stations. Later in the day calling at
Head-quarter