The battalion left Couin at 7.30 p.m., and the relief of the 9th K.L.R. was not completed till 2.40 a.m. on June 12th. Unluckily, the take-over was harassed by considerable hostile artillery fire, causing two killed and two wounded. We were fortunate indeed to escape so lightly. The rest of the day was quiet enough, except for some light shelling. Lieutenant Burton, Battalion Scout Officer, arrived the same evening from rear headquarters to commence a reconnaissance of the area to be raided. [Illustration: Official Photograph by permission of The Imperial War Museum. GOMMECOURT PARK.] [Illustration: Official Photograph by permission of The Imperial War Museum. GENERAL VIEW OF FAMPOUX.] On the night of June 16th Lieutenant Burton, accompanied by Riflemen Pennington and Leigh, proceeded into the German trenches. Coming suddenly and unexpectedly on a German post, they found themselves under a fierce fire at close range. Lieutenant Burton fell at once, badly wounded in the chest, and in spite of the efforts of his two companions to bring him back, they eventually had to leave him, being both seriously wounded themselves. There can be little doubt that Burton was mortally wounded, and could at the best have survived but a short while. By his death the battalion lost one of its most devoted and gallant officers. Entirely devoid of self-interest, he possessed a striking sense of duty, and worked whole-heartedly for the common weal. He was keenly mourned by all ranks. Pennington was awarded the Military Medal. That night the enemy shelled us pretty heavily, and we sustained fourteen casualties. The next day, June 17th, on the other hand, was exceptionally quiet. The patrolling was continued by Acting-Captain Robinson and two more scouts sent up for the purpose. On June 18th the enemy, no doubt encouraged by a previous success, sent over another raiding patrol. This one, however, met with a warm reception, and the patrol was forced to beat a hasty retreat, though not till one of its members had been taken prisoner. Our raid had been fixed for June 19th, but owing to torrential rain it was decided to postpone it. At 11.30 p.m., however, on June 20th it was duly carried out. The raiding party, under Captain Fell, 2nd-Lieutenants R. E. Noon and L. T. Profit, had been training for six days at Rossignol Farm, where a set of dummy trenches had been constructed from aeroplane photos. The raiders were divided into three parties: Noon's party, fourteen N.C.Os. and men, were on the right; Profit's party, about thirty N.C.Os. and men, on the left; and, lastly, there were eight stretcher-bearers under a sergeant.