The enemy started his withdrawal North of the Lawe Canal, and it was not until the latter half of August that the Gorre sector was affected.  However, all preparations for more open warfare were made, and the supply of rations and ammunition was reorganised in such a way that either limbers or pack animals could be used at short notice.  During our tour in the Right Sector from the 14th to 18th of August all rations for “Route A” were taken up to forward Company Headquarters on mules and ponies; the latter, under the skilful handling of their drivers, showed a most admirable fortitude in the face of machine-gun fire.  Each night a little column of heavily laden ponies under Corporal Archer or Lance-Corporal Foster could be seen moving slowly along the Tuning Fork Road, first with rations then with water; towards midnight they returned ("drivers up”) at a much brisker pace.

On the 18th we left trenches and came into support for three days at Le Quesnoy.  Colonel Wood was away Commanding the Brigade for a short time and Major Griffiths was in Command.  All available men were set to work cutting the corn, which was now ripe and would soon spoil if not cut and carried in.  Bayonets took the place of scythes as the latter were almost unobtainable, and it was surprising to find what progress was made with these weapons.  In a few days several train loads were sent down on the light railway to Fouquieres.  All this time the news from the South was most encouraging.  The great attack of the 8th had freed Amiens and each day brought us news of further successes.  On the 20th the Staffordshires on the left found some of the enemy’s advanced posts unoccupied, and the same day prisoners taken on the Lawe Canal spoke of an impending retreat to the Le Touret-Lacouture line.  On the 21st the Commanding Officer returned, and the same day the Brigade moved into and occupied the old German front line near Cense du Raux Farm.  That night we relieved the 4th Battalion in the old Right Sector and occupied the Liverpool Line as Support Battalion to the other two, both of whom were in and forward of the old front line.  On the 22nd General Rowley decided to have one outpost Battalion for the whole frontage, and the following day we took over the line from the junction with the 55th Division (in the old front line E. of “Route A Keep”) to the junction with the Sherwood Foresters N.E. of Le Touret village.

On the extreme right we had pushed forward across the road where they were opposed in the centre by Epinette East Post, and on the left by some houses in the Rue itself, to both of which the Boche was still clinging tenaciously.  On the left the line was continued by “D” Company (Lieut.  T.H.  Ball in the absence of Captain Brooke) who held positions astride the Rue du Bois.  The extreme left platoon was about 200 yards up the Rue de Cailloux and occupied one of the old keeps in the Sailly—­Tuning Fork—­Vielle Chapelle Line.  Here, and on the Rue de L’Epinette, the enemy was active