chain of _chevaux de frise_, but this was not considered a sufficient
obstacle, so that concertina wire and "gooseberries" had to be put out in
front of the _chevaux de frise_. The wiring parties had a very difficult
task, as they had to work about forty yards away from the enemy, who were
often engaged on similar work. Also the men had to work in front of the
_chevaux de frise_, and they would have had great difficulty in getting
back to their own lines should they have been surprised by the enemy.
Besides this, innumerable rifle racks, bomb stores, machine gun
emplacements and other works of a similar nature were completed. In
addition to this the men had to form large carrying parties to carry large
elephant sections and other material to the Quarry for use by dugout
construction parties of the Royal Engineers.

At this period the trench discipline attained a high standard as the men
had been together for some months and free from heavy casualties, and it
is well here to digress for a while and record what trench duty really
meant. "Stand to" would be at say 3-30 a.m., shortly before dawn. At this
time all would man the parapet and wait until it became daylight. The
rifles, ammunition, gas helmets, and feet of the men would be inspected by
the platoon officer. This generally took about an hour and a half.
Afterwards the men not actually on duty would wash and shave. Shaving in
the trenches was made compulsory in March, as it was thought that it kept
the men from deteriorating and would prevent any tendency to slovenliness.
There was little water for such a purpose, and consequently it was
particularly arduous in a muddy trench, and it is doubtful whether the
benefits derived were worth it. Breakfast would take place between six and
seven. Afterwards the men got what sleep they could during the day, but
they were constantly interrupted by sentry duty, meals, shell fire, and
occasionally a fatigue. The activity of night replaced little by little
the tranquility of the day. Towards sunset came evening "stand to" and
more inspections. After nightfall patrols would go out, and wiring parties
for the renovation and repair of the wire, ration parties for the food,
and working parties to keep the trenches in good condition would be
detailed. The men got no sleep at night, and in fact very little at all.
Trench duty was exacting and exhausting from a physical point of view
alone, but to this was added the continual attrition o