The enemy's artillery now turned its attention to Poperinghe, with the result that all the civilians had to be cleared out and sent away. In its search for suitable objectives, it succeeded in landing a big shell on the 2nd Battalion Headquarters. Two men were buried, one of whom survived, but the other was dead when dug out. On the 24th Second Lieutenant G. A. Arbuthnot went out with five snipers, and although they remained out all night, they saw nothing of the enemy's patrols. Sergeant Lyon of No. 1 Company went out by himself into No Man's Land, and returned the next morning with useful information, and also a German flag which had been taken from a tree near Wieltje. On the 27th the Guards Division left the Ypres salient, and was relieved by the Fourth Division of the Eighth Corps. [Sidenote: Aug.] The 2nd Battalion left Ypres on the 26th, and went by train to Poperinghe. On the 27th it marched _via_ St. Jan der Bietzen Watou and Houtkerque to Herzeele, and on the 30th to Proven, where it entrained for St. Pol. From St. Pol it went in motor lorries to Bouque Maison, and then marched on to billets at Neuvillette. After two days' rest it marched on to Sarton, where it remained from August 1st to the 10th, and then proceeded to Bertrancourt. The Guards Division was now approaching the Somme area, and the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers marched from Bertrancourt through Beaussart, Mailly, Vitermont, to the right sub-sector of the Beaumont-Hamel line. The trenches were considerably better than any others the 2nd Battalion had occupied since Loos, and there were several deep dug-outs in the line. The enemy's artillery sent over some heavy shells at once, and the casualties were one N.C.O. killed and six men wounded. After three days in the trenches, when a certain number of men were wounded, the Battalion was relieved by the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, and retired to Bertrancourt. Two days later it marched to Courcelles, where it remained for a week in billets, and on the 23rd proceeded to Beauval. On the following days it marched to Flesselles, to Canadles, and to Méaulte, where it remained till the end of the month. Second Lieutenant C. C. Cubitt and Second Lieutenant A. Hasler joined the Battalion on the 15th, Second Lieutenant D. W. Cassy, who had been employed as signal officer at Brigade Headquarters, on the 21st, and Lieutenant A. T. A. Ritchie on the 25th. Second Lieutenant D. Harvey and ten men were attached to the 180th Tunnelling Company, R.E. END OF VOL. I _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_. A SELECTION OF NEW BOOKS _3 Vols._ _With Portraits and Plans._ _8vo._ _£2:12:6 net._ THE LIFE OF LORD KITCHENER BY SIR GEORGE ARTHUR, BT., M.V.O. Private Secretary to Lord Kitchener, 1914-16 WITH PREFACES BY THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY AND EARL HAIG * * * * * LETTERS OF TRAVEL. By RUDYARD KIPLING. _Edition de Luxe._ 8vo. 10s. 6d. net.