During the next few days the artillery fire increased considerably on
both sides, and just before dawn on Whit Monday, the 24th May, the
Germans launched their gas attack. The gas cloud drifted towards Brielen
and the men were roused and moved about half a mile from the camp to
which they returned for breakfast and to prepare to move into action. The
morning had turned out bright and fine when they paraded and marched off
to Potijze. In those days the road leading out of Ypres eastwards was
still marked by leafy trees, and as the Battalion marched along it,
trees, branches and leaves were lying about, brought down by the heavy
fire. Arriving at the wood, which was being heavily shelled, the men were
put into ditches and half-dug trenches. Later in the day packs were
collected, and in the lighter "Fighting Order" the men manned the G.H.Q.
line in front of the wood, being in reserve to the 3rd Battalion
Middlesex Regiment, who were under orders to deliver a counter-attack.
Whilst taking up this position Major Taylor was wounded and 2nd Lieut.
J.M. Hare killed, and Capt. Jeffreys again assumed command. The
counter-attack was cancelled and the Battalion moved back to dug-outs on
the Menin Road, where it stayed all the next day.

On the night of the 25th May the whole Battalion paraded as a working
party to dig a front line trench to fill a gap caused by the German
attack. The right of this trench was on the railway cutting, the enemy
being on the other side of the cutting. The men worked magnificently and
finished the task in less than two hours. As soon as it was completed the
new trench was occupied by a Battalion of the Buffs. After two more
nights spent on working parties the men were relieved and marched back to
bivouacs in Brielen Wood. On the 2nd June orders were received to move
further back, and they marched through Poperinghe to a field on the south
of the town, where they spent the night and the next day, moving again on