had no fresh troops at this
juncture to press home the attack. According to German statements, the
German troops were practically broken up at the end of the day and
they had at the moment no reserves available. Our small party remained
at the H.Q. on Telegraph Hill till the morning of April 25, when we
returned to the Ronville sugar factory, being relieved by a Brigade of
the 14th Division.

On April 26 a large Corps dump about a quarter of a mile from the
factory got on fire, and went on flaring and exploding all day. A good
many pieces of shells and fragments from this dump came rattling
against the walls of the sugar factory, making it no place to loiter
about. I learnt that the 42nd F.A., to which my brother George was
attached, was due to take over from our F.A. in Ronville; but I did
not get in touch with him.

On April 26 B.H.Q. moved to a fine chateau at the west end of Arras,
where we were much more comfortable than at the sugar factory. That
night I went to a battalion dinner of the 7th N.F., and it was
wonderful what a good dinner they managed to procure under the
circumstances. The next day, April 27, we marched back to a rest area
near Pommera, going along the Arras-Doullens road. B.H.Q. were
billeted in a farm at the south end of the village. I shared a billet
with Lieut. Odell and found the place very comfortable.

We were not left long here. A fresh attack was to be made, and the
50th Division was to be moved forward, to be ready to press home the
attack if it succeeded. We left Pommera on May 1 and marched to
Souastre, where B.H.Q. were billeted in a French chateau with a nice
garden. Next day we marched forward again to a bare looking spot at
Mereatel, where the accommodation was very limited. We managed to rig
up a few wooden shelters and bivouacs amongst the ruins of the houses.
This had been a nice village, but the Germans had blown down every
house and cut down every tree before they left it. They had even
destroyed the small fruit bushes in the gardens, an unnecessarily
wanton act.

The big attack was arranged for May 3 and it was preceded by the usual
heavy bombardment. But nothing came of it but heavy casualties, and it
was decided to send the Division back to the rest area again. On the
evening of May 3 I met a Colonel of the R.A.M.C., 14th Division, who
told me that he had seen my brother George at Neuville Vitasse just
two hours before, and that he was quite well. I got this informatio