On July 2nd the 2nd Otago Regiment, New Zealand Division, relieved us at Rossignol Farm, and we moved into Corps Reserve in the Bois de Warnimont, between Authie and Bus Les Artois. Here we were on notice of one hour between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., and two hours for the remainder of the day. To test our readiness we received word at 7.50 a.m. on July 5th to move to our battle position in the Bus Loop, a phrase reminiscent of, but unconnected with, "strap hanging." We moved off at 8.10 a.m., and were in position at 9.22 a.m.--quite a creditable performance. On July 6th Major Charles Wilson attended a Corps Commander's Staff ride, which involved hard riding over a good part of France with some sixty or seventy other officers, during which most contingencies were discussed and counter-measures devised. The possibilities of the situation seemed endless. However, we somehow managed to keep pace with Defence Schemes A, B, C, D, E, and F, with their various amendments and appendices; and as the enemy never attacked, we may perhaps omit further reference to them, in spite of the important part they played in our lives at this time. A more interesting event, perhaps, was the winning of the Light Heavies in the Brigade Boxing Competition by Sergeant Cox, our Sergeant-Bootmaker. On July 15th we moved to a camp at Hénu, where Colonel Fletcher resumed command. We were still under the same emergency orders. On July 21st and 22nd the Divisional Sports were held at Couin. Owing to the distance we had to come, we marched there and back in fighting order. The sports were a great success, and a pleasant variation in the usual routine. On July 23rd Colonel Fletcher relinquished command of the battalion at his own request, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. N. C. Gathorne-Hardy, Rifle Brigade, took over. Since his breakdown during the first tour in Gommecourt Colonel Fletcher had never been able fully to recover his old vitality, and, ever mindful of his battalion, chose to give up command rather than risk disaster to his "boys" by his breaking down during active operations. Few beyond his intimate friends know what it cost him to ask to be relieved, not from any sense of personal pride, but from his intense love for his battalion. His whole heart and soul were wrapped up in the 2/6th, and leaving it must have been painful to him indeed. The loss to the battalion was very great, and Colonel Fletcher's departure was keenly regretted by all ranks. Colonel Gathorne-Hardy had for some time been commanding a battalion of the Rifle Brigade in Salonika, and had volunteered, with other Commanding Officers, to come to the Western Front after March 21st. He had not been long with the battalion before he became highly popular with all ranks, different as was his style of command from that to which we had been accustomed. We were lucky to get a Rifleman for a Commanding Officer, which was more than we had dared to hope.