t the sound of a shot. Another man had just been
pronounced by the medical officer as cured when the back-fire of a
motor-car heard in the streets of Melbourne brought back all the
symptoms of shell-shock again. Once a man has had shell-shock he is
never of any use under shell-fire again, although he might be quite
brave under any other fire and suffer no ill effects in civil life.
Where there is so much shell-fire the observation of the German
sentries is very poor and surprise raids are easily carried out. Fritz
is very reluctant to put his head up and periscopes are always being
smashed.

There was only one place in the Somme where drinking-water could be
obtained, and this was in the ruins of the town of Piers. The Germans
had been driven out of this place too quickly to give them time to
poison the water, but they made it very difficult for us to get at it
by shelling continually. They had the exact range, and it was only in
the hour before dawn that one could get near the wells without meeting
with certain death. It was amusing to see the scamper of the
water-carriers out of the ruins as the first shell announced that the
relief of Fritz's batteries had been completed and the "hate" had
recommenced. They were severely handicapped running with a fifty-six
pound can of water, but it was a point of honor not to leave this
behind. Of course, there was plenty of other water filling every hole
around, but this was not only thick with mud but had the germs of
gas-gangrene, and one knows not how many other diseases besides.

When the line had advanced a few miles "going in" was as tiring a day's
journey as though one had walked twenty miles. I will never forget
having to chase after my brigade to Becordel-Becourt. I left Albert
just at dark and had to trust to my instinct for direction in finding
the place, for no one could tell me the way, and the old road on the
map was non-existent. It was only about three miles, but seemed like
thirty as I wound in and out of the traffic that jammed the new road,
defying the passage of even a dog. When I arrived at the place where
the town of Becordel had once been I found there were about five
hundred thousand troops camped about the area, and in the dark to find
the whereabout of my own unit of five thousand was about as hopeless a
task as I have ever attempted. I inquired of more than a score, but no
one had seen anything of the Australians. I wandered about for hour