as an Instructor and was lost to us.  Captain Barrowcliffe came to us for a short time in command of “D” Company, but then went to the Army School, and handed the Company over to Lieut.  Brooke, who had been granted an M.C. and three weeks’ leave for his Hulluch patrols. 2nd Lieut.  Campbell went to Hospital with the results of gas poisoning and had to go to England, whither also went 2nd Lieuts.  Rawson and Gibson who were invalided.  A great loss to us was our Doctor, Captain Morgan, who had been with us for many months and was now sent to Mesopotamia, and was replaced by a succession of stop-gaps until we finally got the invaluable W.B.  Jack.  There were changes, too, in the ranks.  Most important was the departure of R.S.M.  Small, D.C.M., our Serjeant Major since mobilization.  He had been unwell for some time and at length had to go to Hospital and home to England.  Debarred by his age from taking a Commission, for which he was so well suited, he had rendered three years’ very faithful service to the Battalion, untiring alike in action and on the parade ground, and popular with all, officers, N.C.O.’s and men.  He was succeeded by C.S.M.  H.G.  Lovett, formerly of “B” Company, and latterly serving with the 2nd/5th Battalion.  At the same time, Serjt.  N. Yeabsley, a very capable horseman and horse master, came to us from the 4th Battalion as Transport Serjeant.

This long tour of trench warfare was not entirely devoid of interest, and several little incidents occurred to break the monotony.  The first was a big “strafe” on the 25th of August, when for some unknown reason the enemy shelled Stansfield Road very vigorously, and obtained a direct hit on “C” Company Headquarters.  Lieuts.  Banwell and Edge were occupying the dug-out at the time, and were both shaken, though the former as usual did not take long to recover.  Lieut.  Edge, however, was sent to the Stores for a time and for some months acted as Transport Officer.  On another occasion, 2nd Lieut.  Norman was firing rifle grenades from “Hairpin” craters, when he received one in reply, and had to go to England with one or two pieces in him.

Except for these two incidents, all other excitement occurred in No Man’s Land, where we had patrols every night in the hopes of catching a Boche.  The first to meet the enemy was 2nd Lieut.  Mandy, who was almost surrounded by a large party of them just North of Northern crater.  He managed to fight his way out, though for a time he lost one of his party, Pte.  Brotheridge, who did some fighting on his own and returned to us at dawn.  After a time, tired of finding no one, our patrols became more venturesome, and most nights entered the German lines at some point or other.  “A” and “C” Companies worked mostly round the Hairpin craters, and Lieuts.  Banwell and Russell, 2nd Lieuts.  Dunlop and Norman, all explored the enemy’s front line.  On one occasion Capt.  Petch himself accompanied Lieut.  Russell and Serjeant Toon to look at the enemy, and for a change found his front line held.  They were caught peering over the parapet, and got a warm reception.  Both officers were slightly wounded and had to go to England.  Meanwhile, Lieut.  Banwell took command of “A” Company.  He, too, on another occasion explored the same piece of trench and found it empty, nor could he attract any enemy, though he and his party shouted, whistled and made noises of every description.