Soon after midday on the 10th Major R.S.  Dyer Bennet reported for duty and took over command of the Battalion, Capt.  Hills resumed his former duties of Adjutant, and for the next few weeks we had no Second in Command.  At the same time orders came that the Brigade would continue its advance on the “leap-frog” principle.  Each Battalion would be given a definite objective for the whole of the Brigade frontage, the rear Battalion passing on to the next line as soon as each objective was gained.  We were now rear Battalion, and moved after dinners to the Railway Cutting just outside Fresnoy on the Bohain line, where, while we waited for further orders, we had teas and distributed rations for the following day.  The Lewis Gun limbers and cookers were now allotted to Companies, and the remainder of the 1st Line Transport occupied a field close to us. 2nd Lieut.  Dunlop, D.C.M., and 2nd Lieut.  Taylor returned from leave and went to “D” and “C” Companies respectively.  Lieut.  Ashdowne again became Intelligence Officer and 2nd Lieut.  Argyle returned to “B” Company.  Each Company had now two officers and “C” Company had three.  Soon after six o’clock we had orders to move at dusk to the line of the Aisonville-Bohain road, now held by the 4th Battalion, and push forward from there to the edge of the Bois de Riquerval.  At the same time a patrol of Corps Cyclists was being sent along the main road towards Regnicourt, and if they reported that the enemy had evacuated this village, our orders were to advance during the night to a line running Southwards from there, through the Bois, to gain touch with the French at Retheuil Farm.  At a Company Commanders’ Conference, held as soon as these orders were received, Major Dyer Bennet decided that if Regnicourt was clear of the enemy, “C” and “D” Companies should advance up the main road as far as the village, and, on reaching it, turn Southwards into the Bois, spreading out along the line of our objective.  “A” Company, keeping touch with the French, were to advance up the “ride” on the Southern boundary of the Brigade, while “B” Company, followed by Headquarters, would go straight through the wood in the centre.  We would all form up in the present positions of the 4th Leicestershire and start our advance without a barrage at 2-0 a.m.—­the 11th of October.

[Illustration:  Lieut.  J.C.  Barrett, V.C. Photo by Swaine.]

As soon as it was dark we moved off with our Lewis Gun limbers and medical cart, keeping as far as possible to cross-country tracks and avoiding all main roads.  There was some gas hanging round the Bois D’Etaves, but we were not worried by this, and soon reached the Seboncourt-Bohain Road, held by the 5th Lincolnshires.  From here onwards the route was not so easy to find, but we managed to take our limbers to within a few hundred yards of the 4th Battalion Headquarters and here, after distributing Lewis Guns and Ammunition to Platoons, the Companies were met by guides and