Those who took part in it will never erase from their minds its many ghastly features, among which the mud and the multitude of the dead will stand out pre-eminent. Of the former it must be said that the sodden condition of the ground, though it stopped our advance, certainly prevented many casualties from shell fire; but at the same time many a wounded man was sucked down into the horrible quagmire, and stretcher-bearers found their tasks in many cases quite beyond their powers. The enemy, too, seemed to take a fiendish delight in adding extra terrors to the work by sniping them with "whizz-bangs"; and Lieutenant Clarke had several of his bearers hit before his journey to the regimental aid post, which took some sixteen hours, was completed. His great patrol and Lieutenant Vaughan's gallant attempt which cost him his life are glorious memories of that grim period. If nothing else was learnt, the value of personal bravery, for the display of which the quiet routine of trench warfare had afforded but little scope, was now made clear to all; and not only by the performances of Clarke, Vaughan, and Lever and the gallant members of their parties, but also by the steady bearing of the battalion generally during those trying times. The courage and initiative displayed by the transport, and particularly by the specially organized pack-mule section, were worthy of the highest commendation. Huddlestone Camp was just the ordinary collection of Nissen huts, but it represented to the tired and weary all the comforts of civilization. How long it seemed since we were last in any place that could be remotely described as civilized! In point of fact it was four days, but the battalion during that time had achieved another stage in its education--and a big stage, too. We knew a good deal about trench warfare, and we knew something about being shelled, but we had never previously been at quite such close quarters with war in its fiercest aspect as we were in front of Langemarck. The next morning (November 1st, 1917) we moved back still farther to Bridge Camp, arriving there at 11 a.m. We remained there till November 6th, cleaning up and making good deficiencies--of no inconsiderable nature after such experiences--and generally restoring mind and body by the normal routine of a soldier's training. The same day we left our camp and marched to Boesinghe, where we entrained about 1 p.m. for Audruicq, not far from Calais, arriving about 10 p.m. Thence we marched to Nordasques, which was understood to be our area; but some confusion was abroad--our billeting party had gone one way, we another, and so on. However, the hour was late, so we made the best of it in Nordasques for the night, and moved to our proper area, Louches, the following day (November 7th), which we reached about 2.30 p.m.