lso of a disagreeable kind occurred near the end of our
journey. Between Gommecourt and Fonquevillers we had to halt, until
the trenches allotted to us had been located. At this point the road
was packed with troops returning from the line; and some battalions
brought their cookers here, so that the road was crammed almost tight
with men and transport. For a long time nothing happened, but
eventually a German field battery fired several rapid salvoes of
shells enfilading the road. Fortunately the greater number fell
slightly wide of the road, but a few men in one of the Manchester
battalions were hit. It was however a lucky escape. After this the
road cleared quickly and we moved on into Fonquevillers. This village
had been badly knocked about in the early days of the war, and few
houses were in anything but ruins.

But there were still many cellars intact, and also a number of tin
huts built for the French refugees in 1917. Officers of Battalion H.Q.
were billeted in a cellar, and this was improved by mattresses,
tables, and chairs brought in from the huts outside. Here in spite of
intermittent shelling we got a much needed rest. But Fonquevillers was
no place for a permanent rest cure. The village was shelled on and off
all day, and several of our men were hit. I assisted the Adjutant,
Capt. S.P. Brook-Booth, M.C., to collect a supply of early vegetables
from the little gardens; and the officers in our reserve camp at
Souastre thoughtfully sent up a couple of cooked chickens and a few
other luxuries, so that evening we had something in the nature of a
feast. Next morning, March 31, Lieut. Johnston, temporarily in command
of A Company got a shell splinter through his hand and had to be sent
back. I was then put in command of A Company and left Battalion H.Q.,
so that for some days the observers were not under my charge. About
this time L.-C. Flynn, one of the observers, was seriously wounded by
a shell, and we learnt later on that he died of his wounds. It was an
unlucky affair, for he was one of the best observers. But I had no
further casualties for a long time. I found A Company quartered in a
line of old trenches between Gommecourt Wood and Fonquevillers. I
believe they were part of the old British front line before the Somme
battle started. Accommodation was very limited, and I found the other
officers of A Company,[19] four in number, with their batmen and cook
all crowded together in a small shelter. It was as m