before I woke up sufficiently to realise where I was.

The next morning (the 28th) we were off before dawn. So tired were we
that I remember we simply swore at each other for nothing at all. We
waited, shivering in the morning cold, until the column was well on its
way.

At Oleezy the Division began to find itself. Look at the map and think
for a moment what the men had done. On the 21st they had advanced from
Landrecies to Bavai, a fair day's march on a blazing day. On the 22nd
they had marched from Bavai to the Canal. From the morning of the 23rd
to midday or later on the 24th they had fought hard. On the afternoon
and evening of the 24th they had retired to the Bavai-Saint-Waast line.
Before dawn on the morning of the 25th they had started off again and
marched in column of route on another blazing day back to a position a
few miles south of Le Cateau. The battle had begun as the sun rose on
the 26th, and continued until three o'clock or later in the afternoon.
They plodded through the darkness and the rain. No proper halt was made
until midday of the 27th.

The General, who had escaped, and the Staff worked with ferocious
energy, as we very painfully knew. Battalions bivouacked in the open
fields round Oleezy collected the stragglers that came in and
reorganised themselves. The cavalry were between us and Saint Quentin.
We were in communication with them by despatch rider. Trains full of
French troops passed westwards over Oleezy bridge. There were, I
believe, General d'Amade's two reserve divisions. We had walked away
from the Germans.

We rode after the column. On the way we passed a battalion of men who