It was impossible to relieve the artillery as a whole, but as it was now decided to make no serious attack for at least a fortnight, I obtained authority to keep 50 per cent. of my command at rest in the wagon lines during this period, and this measure did something to relieve the strain. The horses, too, had suffered severely; about five per cent. had been killed, and ten per cent. had died of over work and debility, twenty per cent. having been sent away for the same reason. As the Veterinary authorities, who naturally knew more of the condition of the animals than of the circumstances which had brought them into so low a state, showed a disposition to attribute the state of affairs to indifferent horsemastership, I was glad when the Army Commander, Sir H. de la P. Gough, inspected my wagon lines on the 21st April. He expressed himself as perfectly satisfied with all he saw, and was most cordial and pleasant. It was a great relief to Brigade and Battery Commanders, who had been much harassed during a time of great anxiety by the criticisms referred to above, to know that the Army Commander had now seen for himself that everything possible was being done. For the rest of the month little occurred of special interest; preparations were being made for a further attack against the Hindenburg Line, and meanwhile the now familiar form of trench warfare was carried on from trenches about 200 yards apart. The Ecoust Valley was still a far from healthy spot, though batteries improved their cover day by day by incessant building and digging; and at times the Boche turned his attention to the wagon lines as well. On the 18th the 310th lines were badly shelled, when two men were killed and seven wounded, and several horses were lost. Lieut. G. P. Senior was wounded (gassed) on the 24th, and on the 28th four more officers were hit, Lieuts. C. T. Lutyens, S. C. Ball, R. Forrest, and J. W. Proctor. Five Military Medals were awarded during this period, and the Military Cross was gained by Lieut. J. C. F. Nowill. "On the evening of the 26th April, 1917, near Ecoust, the camouflage covering a large ammunition dump at the battery position was set ablaze by hostile shell fire. Lieut. Nowill, single-handed, removed the burning mass from the dump and extinguished it, at very great personal danger from the burning ammunition which was exploding in large quantities. By his gallantry and prompt action he undoubtedly stopped the explosions from spreading through the whole dump." On the 25th, Lieut.-Colonel G. R. V. Kinsman, D.S.O., left, much to the regret of us all, to take up the duty of Artillery Instructor at Shoeburyness; he was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel D. J. C. Sherlock, D.S.O.