On March 23rd we received orders that we were to take over our old Fleurbaix sector, and officers proceeded thither accordingly. In the afternoon the final of the Inter-Battalion Football Competition took place between No. 5 Platoon of "B" Company and a platoon of the 2/7th K.L.R., which the former won by three goals to nil. On March 25th "all leave and courses cancelled" was received, and rumours of doings in the south became more persistent. The local civilians were also becoming frightened, and carts full of refugees streamed along the roads leading to the rear. The Germans shelled Sailly at night occasionally, but did no real damage. Word now came that the 12th Division, which had taken our place in reserve, had been rushed south, and we found ourselves with the possibility before us of not only reinforcing the Portuguese, but of holding Sailly bridgehead at the same time. Nothing however, happened, and on the evening of March 26th we relieved the 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in our old Fleurbaix sector. All maps and schemes, we found, had been destroyed, and the imminence of an attack, though less acute than a day or so previously, still appeared a matter for serious consideration. Wye Farm we found transformed into a magnificent and palatial pill-box, while others were dotted about the country. The sector also extended farther north than it had done when we previously held it. It was arranged that "A" and "C" Companies should be in front and support on the right, to enable their men to reconnoitre the area to be raided; and that we should only hold the line for three days to begin with, so as to enable the raiding party to get sufficient training. The tour was not marked by anything of particular moment. "A" Company's Headquarters were subjected to a very considerable bombardment, but luckily without casualties. The efforts of a 6-inch howitzer battery to cut our wire cost us our proposed raid headquarters, and very nearly the lives of the Forward Observation Officer and Lieutenant Hazell, our Intelligence Officer, as well. The enemy wore an air of quietness of a suspicious character, although Intelligence said that the divisions recently concentrated opposite this front had all gone down to the Somme. We had no casualties. [Illustration: AREA OF PROPOSED RAID, MARCH, 1918. GERMAN FRONT AND SUPPORT LINES OPPOSITE HUDSON BAY-BOUTILLERIE SECTOR. _March 23ʳᵈ 18._ 2/6 The King's (Liverpool Regᵗ) To face page 170.] On March 29th the Irish took over from us, and our battalion moved out--Headquarters and "B" Company to Fleurbaix, "D" Company to Canteen Farm in reserve to the front line, and "A" and "C" to Sailly to continue their training. A special telephone was laid to the latter in case of emergency.