On June 24th there was a thick fog in the evening, and a German wireless message was picked up: "Tell storm troops to stand-by till 6 a.m. opposite Hebuterne." As a result three heavy counter-shoots were carried out by our artillery, though nothing more happened. We had been reinforced by sixty-three men that day from rear headquarters. On June 25th Colonel Fletcher, who had recently resumed command of the battalion, while going round the right company front with Lieutenant J. R. Paul, had a very narrow escape from a 5·9 which landed full on the parados. Lieutenant Paul was seriously wounded in the back, and two or three men of the post were also wounded. Beyond a few bits of metal in his face and hands, Colonel Fletcher escaped injury. Paul was evacuated, and never rejoined us--to our lasting regret. Next day a twelve-hour continuous shoot of all available artillery was delivered on to Rossignol Wood. To this the enemy retaliated on us to some purpose, and we had two men killed and thirteen wounded. On this occasion Rifleman P. Walsh, a stretcher-bearer, proved himself so efficient and so regardless of danger that he was recommended for, and was duly awarded, the Military Medal. Advance parties from the 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and also a liaison party from the New Zealand Division, now began to appear; and by 12.50 a.m. on June 30th the relief was over and we were making our way back to Rossignol Farm, where we took over, as "B" Battalion, Reserve Brigade, from the 2/4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. By 4 a.m. all were in their "bivvies." The casualties for June amounted to 1 officer killed and 2 wounded, 12 men killed and 83 wounded. During the month we had received 211 men as reinforcements, and our ration strength was now 24 officers and 695 men. The month of July was one of quiet and peace. We were still, it is true, under the shadow of a coming German offensive. We wired and dug unceasingly. We received orders of every description to meet every emergency. We were also kept in a state of perpetual readiness to move, and were liable to test movements at most inconvenient times. Corps and Divisional Commanders revelled in staff rides to tactical features of the ground; and the undoing of the foe, should he be bold enough to attack, was our constant thought and care. Notwithstanding all this, quiet training, baths, competitions, Brigade and Divisional sports, went on almost as at home in England. On July 1st Major Wilson, recently returned from Paris Plage Rest-house, took over the command from Colonel Fletcher, who proceeded to the Third Army School after presenting ribbons to those recently decorated. Captain Eccles also left this day for the Senior Officers' Course at Aldershot.