"We were relieved by the 6th Brigade, and at dawn returned to our quarters at Bernefay--that is to say, those of us who were left. Our casualties were nearly 400, over 60 per cent, of those who went in. Out of eighteen officers who went into the wood, thirteen became casualties, every company commander being included in this number, while the 1/60th suffered equally heavily. "As I was making out our casualty return in our headquarters' shell-hole by the light of the blazing trees, our Quartermaster appeared with the rations. He threw a newspaper down to me, with the remark: 'You'll find something interesting in that.' I opened the paper, and found a full column describing how the South Africans took Delville Wood! "When we were moving back into support, I noticed a horrible smell, and found it was due to the fact that almost every man was smoking a Hun cigar, large quantities of which had been found in the trenches, together with large quantities of soda-water. "One of the Hun officer prisoners remarked that our advance through the wood was the finest thing they ever saw, but that he objected to being captured by civilians." * * * * * SOME LIGHTER STORIES.--Another story of Delville Wood, introducing the M.O. "During the Delville Wood show a captured Hun Red Cross man was lending a hand in the Battalion aid post. Suddenly a scuffle was heard on the steps of the dug-out, and the prisoner went to see what was the matter. 'What's happened?' asked Doc. Isaac, busily engaged in bandaging a wounded man. "'Oh, it's only some of those b---- Bosches!' was the reply...." * * * * * There were many middle-aged men in the First Sportsman's. This introduces one of them. "The Battalion was marching down the main street of Carnoy when a charming French girl of about eighteen dashed into the line of route, evidently with the idea of 'parleyvooing' with one of the young sports. She commenced in a breezy manner chatting with my father, a youngster of fifty, not noting, at first, his grey hair. Suddenly he turned his head toward her and smiled. 'Oh, papa!' she ejaculated, and fled...." * * * * * The Quartermaster is a noted personage in the Army. This is to introduce him. "While the Battalion was at Aix Neulette the transport came under shell-fire one morning. The shells came nearer and nearer, in a direct line with the water-carts, highly polished, the pride of the corporal in charge. The personnel eventually thought fit to take shelter in an adjacent shell-hole until the Hun had finished his unpleasant pranks. "Over came the fifth shell with a whistle and a scream, and--bang!--up went the two carts in the air, while shell fragments flew all over the place. Hanging on a line were various articles of washing, the clean clothes of the water-cart crew. These were in the line of fire, and as a consequence were well perforated.