e of
our time there. Much difficulty was experienced by both friend and foe
in entering their respective front line, so much so that, by common
consent, sniping by rifle fire was discontinued until parapets were
constructed and made fit for occupation. However, sniping was still
indulged in by the artillery, and no parties of any size were
permitted to go about freely near the front line under observation.
Affairs continued thus until the middle of February, when it became
apparent that something unusual was taking place in enemy territory,
and great explosions were heard, after which volumes of smoke were
seen to rise in large columns. These, as was afterwards proved, were
due to preparations being made by the enemy to evacuate the low-lying
country, into which they had reluctantly been forced, as the result of
the battle of the Somme, prior to falling back upon the great (p. 038)
prepared defences known as the Hindenburg Line.

Instantly every one was on the alert for further signs of evacuation,
and one morning a patrol reported that the enemy had vacated their
front line. Further patrols were at once pushed out, through St.
Pierre Vaast wood, in order to maintain contact with the retreating
foe. Every precaution had to be taken, as it was soon discovered that
many forms of booby-traps had been cunningly laid by him in his wake,
and progress was necessarily slow. Added to this, there was great
difficulty in manoeuvring the guns over the innumerable trenches
which existed in the neighbourhood, and the pieces sank up to their
axles in the clogging mud, and were only extricated after hours of
labour. The enemy retired slowly and most methodically, destroying
everything of value and wantonly reducing the small villages and
hamlets to mere shells, by means of incendiary bombs. The inhabitants
also were removed beforehand, and, when the troops advanced, they
might have been traversing a wilderness, so complete was the ruin and
desolation on all sides.

The time had now arrived for the Brigade to have a much-needed rest
and also to refit, so, at the end of March, we were withdrawn from the
contest. Marching westward, we arrived at the village of Morlancourt
in the first week of April, well content at the prospect of returning
to civilization for a protracted period.

[Illustration: Division from Brigade R.F.A. Guards Division.]

CHAPTER VI. (p. 039)

Me