o the enemy, the
two brigades had orders to remain silent until the day of the show,
and we were only allowed to fire enough rounds to enable us to
carefully register the pieces, and this was completed without giving
away any of the positions.

All ammunition was conveyed to the guns by night, and was distributed
in small quantities near to them. Before long the enemy became alive
to the fact that we were contemplating some move, and consequently
increased his devastating fire by night, with the result that many
dumps in the vicinity were exploded by him. He was bound to hit
something, the countryside was so packed with all manner of
ammunition. He had no idea, however, of the magnitude of our coming
effort, and firmly believed his position to be impregnable, and that
it was beyond our power to free ourselves from his grip.

He contented himself with drenching our little valley with chemical
shell whenever conditions were favourable, but so accustomed were the
men to their gas masks that no serious consequences resulted, although
it was distinctly unpleasant to have to pass each night enveloped in
these stuffy contrivances, especially as the weather remained hot and
oppressive.

The Battery had more than their average share of good fortune
throughout these operations, and it is worthy of putting on record
that the unit did not sustain a single casualty to either man or
horse. This was all the more remarkable as the engineers had
constructed a wide plank road, which passed through the centre of our
position, and could not be concealed from our foes, who lavishly
besprinkled it with shrapnel after dark. Many casualties were caused
to the transport, and the Officers' Mess virtually became an aid-post,
where every assistance was rendered the wounded men.

Our sister howitzer battery was lined up alongside of us, and, (p. 042)
when the two positions were first inspected, much chaff ensued as to
which had the better place, and the men of our battery were certainly
all of the opinion that, had the selection devolved upon them, we
would unanimously have plumped for the other one. They had no
landmarks likely to attract hostile fire, and thus occasion them the
unpleasant sensation of living on top of a volcano, while we were
slap-bang in the middle of a conspicuous cross road, with a constant
stream of traffic coming and going through: yet, so strange and fickle
are the fortunes of war that, while we escaped unharmed, o