SAILING DOWN THE ST. LAWRENCE, NEAR BIC 38 CHURCH PARADE 40 EASTERN ONTARIO REGIMENT, NEAR STONEHENGE 44 MANOEUVRES ON SALISBURY PLAIN 48 FIELD KITCHEN IN RESERVE BILLETS 82 AMATEUR THEATRICALS BACK OF THE LINE 100 THE DISTILLERY AT GIVENCHY 118 OUR SUPPORT TRENCHES AT GIVENCHY 120 AFTER GIVENCHY 122 ENTRANCE TO PLUGSTREET WOOD 130 OUR TRENCHES, PLUGSTREET WOOD 134 OUR TRENCHES AT PLUGSTREET 136 THE START OF THE SMOKE CLOUDS 142 THE CACTUS TREEN 157 AFTER A FEW SHELLS AND A WEEK'S RAIN 160 FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE TO THE YSER CHAPTER I ANTE-BELLUM Before the war the Canadian Militia consisted of about 75,000 of all ranks and all grades of efficiency. To a neutral eye it must have appeared to be in a highly disorganised condition, for battalions and corps had sprung up here and there throughout the country with no proportion existing between them and the other arms of the service. And yet within a short two months after the outbreak of hostilities a complete division, armed and equipped, landed in England, and in a bare six months were in the field holding their own line of trenches. To appreciate the difficulties, however, that attended this transformation we must look back to those happy days prior to August, 1914, and witness the Canadian Militia in its own home. This consisted of the "Drill-hall," or "Armouries," a long, low building equipped more or less with barred windows and castellated turrets at one or more corners. This building is one of the sights of the city, and is pointed out by the cabby or taxi-driver to the English gentlemen and other tourists who come out with the laudable intention of writing books. If the castellated towers are missing, and the building is constructed on strictly utilitarian lines, one is safe in referring to it as the "Drill-hall"; but if a couple of old cannon, vintage 1800, guard its portals, and barred windows and frowning turrets add to its martial splendour, then you have an "Armouries." By observing this simple rule one can discriminate between the two as easily as telling a church from a cathedral.