[Sidenote: Nov. 28.] A day without any incident worth recording followed, and on November 29 the Fifty-ninth Division took over the whole area. The Guards Division was disposed as follows: the Divisional Artillery at Flesquières, the Royal Engineers at Trescault, De Crespigny’s Brigade at Metz, Sergison-Brooke’s Brigade at Ribecourt, and Seymour’s Brigade at Trescault. After a hard week in the line they were now to rest, and retire by easy stages to billets. [Sidenote: Nov. 30.] Suddenly a telegram arrived announcing that the Germans had broken through our line, and the whole Division was ordered to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Then came a stream of orders, conveying instructions for different Brigades to be placed under different Corps, that followed one another with bewildering rapidity, only to be countermanded the next moment. Finally the whole Division was placed under the Third Corps, and General Feilding motored off to get instructions. Information was now received that the enemy were holding the line Villers Plouich――Gouzeaucourt, and as De Crespigny’s Brigade was already marching on the latter place, orders were sent to divert Seymour’s Brigade, which was moving south, and bring it up on the left of De Crespigny’s forces. Meanwhile General de Crespigny determined to ascertain for himself the exact situation in front of his Brigade, for the roads were all blocked with retiring troops, and all sorts of rumours had reached him. So off he rode at full gallop in the direction of the enemy. Having crossed the open, he came in view of Gouzeaucourt, and there saw the Germans making preparations for a farther advance. He quickly returned to his Brigade, and at once gave orders to attack. All the four Commanding Officers had also ridden ahead of their Battalions, to see for themselves what the ground was like; and so it came about that this Brigade, which a few hours before had been resting and preparing to retire, were now going forward to the attack, as if they had had plenty of notice. The advance of De Crespigny’s Brigade in perfect formation through all the stragglers and despite the general disaster was a splendid and heartening sight, which restored confidence to all the army in that area. GOUZEAUCOURT