man buried by shell fire, under very dangerous conditions.

Apart from good work in the line not only in patrolling, etc., but also
in improving the trenches till they were probably as good as any on the
whole front, considerable work was done on the erection of reserve camps
and horse standings. It was with some regret therefore that when at
Northumberland Lines, a very comfortable hut camp near Mercatel, the men
heard that they were to leave the area before the winter.

Early in October they marched to a canvas camp at Gomiecourt, just off
the main Bapaume road, and stayed there a short time training. The
arrival of representatives from Divisions in the "Salient," to instruct
in the methods adopted in the recent successful fighting there, left no
doubts as to the next move.




CHAPTER V.

RETURN TO THE "SALIENT."


About the end of October the Battalion marched one night to Bapaume,
where it entrained for Esquelbecq, north-west of Cassel. On detraining it
marched to billets at Eringhem for two nights. From there the march was
continued to Arneke, and there the men were told that a short stay would
be made, but early the next day orders were received to march to Proven,
just inside the Belgian frontier. On the road, however, fresh orders were
received, and the latter part of the journey, from Wormhoudt, was done by