ur comrades
next door suffered a heavy gruelling.

The preliminary bombardment commenced, and continued throughout five
days, but, in order to deceive the enemy as to our weight of
artillery, not more than fifty per cent. of the guns in the line were
allowed to take part at one time. A row of O.P.'s had been constructed
on Hill 65, which overlooked the valley and town of Messines. A fine
sight was witnessed as that stronghold was gradually reduced to a mere
shell by our heavies, which effected extraordinarily good work in
smashing the elaborate structures of the enemy's defence.

The preparations were all that could be desired, and everything was
carefully worked out to the minutest detail: not a stone was left
unturned to render the operations a complete success. The labour and
expense was well rewarded too, for surely no battle ever ran so
smoothly from first to last, and it will always be looked back upon by
the British soldier as a model of triumphant organisation. The battle
only lasted a single day, but in that time the formidable network of
trenches was neatly and clearly shorn off, and the enemy, who relied
so much on the security of these positions, found himself suddenly
pushed down the slope into unsuitable ground, where he could no longer
be a menace to us.

The "feet" of our Division were not in the line, being held in
reserve, and, as it turned out, they were not called upon at all at
this juncture, so well did the course of the battle progress. We were
covering the infantry of an English Division, and, on the evening
previous to the attack, the troops passed us noiselessly and in
perfect order on their way to their various points of assembly. All
were in excellent spirits, which augured well for the next day, and a
feeling of calm confidence appeared to prevail amongst them. A (p. 043)
stream of gas and tear shells was maintained by the foe throughout
the night, but it was mostly directed on the zone which contained the
battery positions, consequently the infantry was caused little
inconvenience.

Early the following morning, shortly before dawn, the attack was
heralded by the explosion of the mines, which had been in course of
preparation for months beforehand. This was the sign for the guns to
open out, and the assault was launched from north of St. Eloi in the
Salient to the neighbourhood of Ploegsterte in the south, the men
following close in the wake of the now familiar and popular creeping