in particular, the “L-shaped house,” was very strongly fortified.  The right Company had its outposts in the cellars and shell-holes round the N. and W. edges of the lake, the centre and left companies had cellars and trenches, through the Cites de Riaumont and du Bois de Lievin, down to the main Lens road.  Left Company Headquarters had a beautiful chateau, with a fruit and asparagus garden, known after its first occupant as “John Burnett’s Chateau.”  There were two communication trenches, one each side of the Riaumont Hill:  “Assign” on the South, shallow and unsafe in daylight, and “Absalom” on the North.  “Hill 65” dominated everything, and gave the Boche a tremendous advantage.  We had the Riaumont hill, 500 yards West of our front line, and could use the Bois de Riaumont on its summit as an O.P., but this was always being shelled, and though the view was excellent, one was seldom left in peace long enough to enjoy it.  Battalion Headquarters had a strong German concrete dug-out in Lievin, said to have been formerly occupied by Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria.

The enemy confined his activity to his artillery, which hammered our back areas, and his trench mortars, which constantly bombarded our outposts.  A row of houses along an absolutely straight street forms a comparatively easy target, and a cellar is no protection against a 240 lbs.  Minenwerfer shell.  On one occasion the enemy, starting at one end, dropped a shell on every house in turn down one side, smashing each cellar; it was a nerve-racking performance for those who lived in one of the cellars and had to watch the shells coming nearer, knowing that to go into the street meant instant death at the hands of some sniper.  The headquarters of No. 15 Platoon had a direct hit, but fortunately 2nd Lieuts.  Brooke and Ramsden were both out crawling about somewhere, and the only damage was to their dinner.  Every mortar, whose position was known, was given a name and marked on a map, so as to simplify quick retaliation.  Captain Burnett spent much time at the telephone demanding the slaughter of “Bear,” “Bat,” “Pharaoh,” “Philis,” “Philistine,” “Moses,” “Aaron,” etc. etc.

It was impossible to visit any of the outpost line by day, and those from Battalion Headquarters who wanted to do so had perforce to go at night.  Nights were dark; the ground was covered with shell-holes, some of them of great size.  Once Major Griffiths, going out with Grogan, his runner, suddenly disappeared from view in an enormous hole which had apparently amalgamated itself with some well or sewer.  The Major was almost drowned, but came to the surface in time to hear Grogan say:  “You haven’t fallen in, have you, sir?” He was fished out and scraped down and went on his way to “John Burnett’s Chateau,” where he was given warmth and comfort, and whence he eventually returned to Lievin—­taking care to rob the asparagus bed before leaving.