mber
to the ruined village of Beaulencourt, situated south east of Bapaume.
On the following day a long march was undertaken, and we proceeded by
way of Achiet-le-Grand, Ayette, and Beaumetz to the village of
Montennescourt, due west of Arras, a distance of 25 miles.

It says much for the battery that it accomplished this long trail with
no less than 43 horses below establishment, and without any outside
assistance, in spite of the heaviness of the roads. The guns (p. 067)
were pulled by six-horse teams, and the vehicles and other baggage
wagons by four-horse teams, made up by requisitioning all the
available outriders, yet none of the horses suffered to any great
extent from the extra strain imposed on them.

It was with feelings of great gratification that we learnt that at
last we were going to have our long-delayed rest, and that it would
fall to our lot to spend the coming Christmas-tide and New Year season
in more congenial surroundings than had been the case in the two
previous years. All were prepared to enjoy themselves on this
occasion, as it was felt, on reviewing the past six months, during
which time we had been fighting incessantly in "pukka" battles, in
which we had acquitted ourselves not badly, that we had thoroughly
earned a week or two of complete rest and quiet.

CHAPTER IX. (p. 068)

At Arras.

The next fortnight was spent under most happy conditions, and all
ranks had an enjoyable time. As Christmas approached, active
preparations were made to excel anything we had ever had before in the
way of festivities, and this was possible now that we were out of
action. Quarter-Master-Sergeants, puffed out with importance, were to
be seen strutting hither and thither, returning with mysterious sacks
and parcels, presumably filled with good cheer.

Plucked geese and turkeys appeared in large numbers, suspended from
the ceilings of billets, and several large barrels arrived on the
scene, and were duly placed under lock and key in the canteen,
awaiting the auspicious day. Much competition took place between
batteries for the possession of the only two live pigs in the village,
which eventually went to the highest bidders, while the remainder
procured their joints in the form of pork from Doullens. One of the
batteries meanwhile grew so attached to its prospective Christmas fare
that it was almost decided to spare his life and adopt him