sight was a very grand one, especially after
dark. The Verey Lights and various S.O.S. rockets, which were
frequently sent up by our opponents, made a fine spectacular display,
far finer than any firework exhibition we had ever witnessed in our
own country in pre-war days.

Gradually the Division was side-slipped to the south, and our next
position was close to the station of Mailly. We did not remain there
long, however, as the time had now arrived for us to put in an
appearance in the battle itself. We spent one night close to (p. 031)
Amiens, and availed ourselves of the opportunity to hold a dinner
there, which was attended by all the original officers in the
Brigade--a last night of fun and merriment before the long, stiff
fight ahead of us, for who knew how many would survive the ordeal. The
next day brought us to Vaux, on the River Somme, and, in the first
week in September, we found ourselves immersed in the battle. We took
up our first position in the lately captured second line German
system, facing Montauban and covering Guillemont, which had just been
taken by an Irish Division.

Very stiff lighting was in progress on this sector, as we were now
nearing the summit of the Ridge, the possession of which would be
invaluable, as the enemy's territory would be laid bare to us, and he
would lose his observation over us. It was not surprising, therefore,
that he fought with the courage of despair and initiated
counter-attack upon counter-attack, all of which we had to meet with
great determination. The weather was extremely hot, which added much
to the discomfort: and, as progress had been very slow for some time,
it was impossible to clear up the battlefield, and the stench was
almost insupportable. At length the village of Guinchy was captured,
and, with our men installed on the further side of the slope, the
fighting for position came to an end. We were now entering on the
third stage of the great battle, which had commenced more than two
months previously. An attack, on a large scale, was planned, the
object being to drive the enemy down the slope of the hill into the
low-lying country beyond. Field batteries were moved up into forward
positions, in order to assist the infantry, by placing a creeping
barrage--a new and most successful invention, afterwards employed on
all occasions--in front of the advancing waves of men: and the
"heavies," of which, for the first time, we possessed a preponderance,
po