A sudden outbreak of influenza, or some kindred ailment, swept over the battalion at this time to a very alarming degree. We had a sick parade daily of over 100, and admissions to hospital amounted to about 250 in a few days. Lieutenant Reed, our invaluable American Medical Officer, did everything he could to check the disease. Rest stations were established in Pas village to take the milder cases, isolation was practised, changes of diet prescribed--everything, in short, was done that was possible--but the complaint ran through the battalion like wildfire. The consequence was that we lost a very serious proportion of our best N.C.Os. and men, for those who go to hospital very seldom rejoin their old battalion. The field ambulance tried to save what they could, but, with the imminence of a battle, they dared not have their dressing-stations full of sick. That the lice, coupled with the bad conditions of living, were responsible there can be little doubt; nor that, granted reasonable facilities for bathing and disinfecting simultaneously, and not piecemeal, we might have stamped out the lice. However, the Higher Command refused the special facilities, and our losses were consequently great. It made things very difficult, as N.C.Os. and warrant officers had to be replaced almost daily; and the protective barrage that fell for an hour at dawn each day was a sufficient reminder of possibilities ahead. So loud and emphatic was this on some mornings that we were almost convinced that the threatened offensive had opened, but on each occasion the barrage died away again as suddenly as it had commenced. During the period in Pas Wood we learnt that Colonel Fletcher had been awarded the Legion of Honour. We were glad to think that he had received this recognition of the splendid work he was doing. On April 29th our manifold defence schemes were further complicated by the issue of a counter-attack scheme, in conjunction with tanks, for the recovery of Beer Trench, the old British front line in front of Gommecourt, in the event of the German attack succeeding to that extent. This necessitated the pegging-out of assembly positions in due course in the vicinity of the Chateau de la Haie. Meanwhile the old scheme for the manning of the Red Line was put into force on April 28th, the whole Brigade turning out for this practice, which was carried out without incident. Our early return to front line work was now indicated by instructions to send an advance party into the Gommecourt sector for twenty-four hours' attachment to the 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment. This was done on May 1st, the party returning on May 2nd, but, unfortunately, less Sergeant Roberts, of "C" Company, a most popular N.C.O., who was shot through the head while going round the sector. The actual relief was fixed for May 6th, and the interval was fully occupied by practice attacks, first of the 8th K.L.R., and later by the 172nd Infantry Brigade, assisted by contact aeroplanes.