gun opened fire from close quarters.  The two dropped into a shell hole and started to crawl their way back; there was plenty of cover, and if they had been patient all would have been well.  Unfortunately C.S.M.  Passmore thinking it was sufficiently dark, got up and walked towards our lines.  He was hit and killed outright.  This warrant officer joined us at Gommecourt in 1917; his energy and fearlessness at once brought him to the front, and he soon rose from Serjeant to be Company-Serjeant-Major.  His place in “A” Company was taken by Serjeant Wardle, of “C” Company.  As soon as they were relieved Companies marched to Loisne Chateau, where they were to entrain.  Trains were not ready, but after a long wait, the well-nigh frantic efforts of Captain Schiller produced them, much to everybody’s delight, and somewhere about midnight we marched back to Vaudricourt Park.

Two days later the new Major-General was introduced to us, and at once won his way to our hearts by his wonderful charm of manner.  He must have been surprised to see outside the mess a long line of horses and mules all waiting saddled up.  We had arranged an officers’ paper chase and every officer attended; those who couldn’t find chargers had perforce to ride mules.  The hares (Captain Burnett on “Mrs. Wilson” and 2/Lieut.  Todd on the frisky black) were given ten minutes’ grace and then, led by “Sunloch” (Lieut.-Colonel Griffiths “up”) the rest of us swung out of the Park and off towards Labuissiere.  The pace was very hot and most of us soon dropped behind, though the mules, keeping as usual all together and led by Padre Buck, managed to stay the whole course.  Four riders, finding they were getting left behind, started to make a short cut through Hesdigneul and there on the village green met the hares on the way home.  It was a dramatic moment witnessed by large crowds of gunners, and Lieut.  Brodribb on the Colonel’s pony, and Lieut.  Hawley on the faithful and well-intentioned “Charlie,” dashed after the hares.  The effect, however, was somewhat spoilt by “Lady Sybil,” unused no doubt to audiences, throwing the Adjutant over her head on to the middle of the green.  The hares were finally caught after a 9-mile run within a few hundred yards of home.  It was a great performance.

Our stay at Vaudricourt was not a long one, and we soon moved to Bethune, preparatory to entrainment for the South, for it was now no longer a secret that we were going down to fight a real battle at last.  The new General introduced a “Blob” formation, which was both easy and effective, and we practised this once or twice outside the town.  Our first line transport was also reorganised in such a way that each Company had its own two limbers with Lewis Guns and ammunition, bombs and all necessaries.  On one small Field Day the Signallers with their flags turned out as Tanks, and we practised everything as realistically as possible.  We were all very keen, and better still, very fit; in fact, the Battalion never looked in better form than on one of these training days when we marched past the Brigadier.