Miraumont was a particularly dangerous and unpleasant spot; the Bosche kept it continually under shell-fire, and also bespattered freely the one road which formed our communication with it. This road ran for over half-a-mile in full view of the enemy, and was in such a shocking state of disrepair that all ammunition had to be brought up on pack saddles, each horse or mule carrying eight rounds. The country on each side was such a slough of despond that it was generally impossible for pack animals to leave the road, and as all movements had to take place at night, the ammunition supply was a very serious problem. At least 4000 rounds were required for daily consumption, and I find in my diary that 1600 horse loads were sent up on the night of the 4th, in batches of 25 animals at ten minutes interval, and that only one man was hit in the process, although the road was constantly under fire. There was very little rest for any of the drivers, whether of the D.A.C. or of the batteries, and their zeal, endurance, and good temper were beyond all praise. Just before the road enters Miraumont a sunken road runs to the left, honeycombed with dug-outs and occupied by one of our Infantry Brigade Headquarters; and on the right a steep path leads down into the valley. Here the three Colonels have their precarious shelters; sometimes things may be quiet for a short breathing space--more often they are just the reverse. On the 11th, all through the afternoon, and right on through the night, shells were exploding in this part of the valley on an average of one every two minutes. Not much damage was done, but the strain of it may be imagined on the nerves of those who have to live there without any adequate cover. The village is utterly destroyed, but has not disappeared. Walls and ruins still stand, sometimes as high as ten feet or so, and the streets are distinguishable. But it is not good to linger in them. Almost unceasingly in one part or another of the skeleton village shells scream and crash, raking the streets with bullets and splinters, and hurling bricks and beams in every direction. Here are to be found Swain's, Foot's, Bigg's, Arnold Forster's, Hudson's, and Robinson's batteries, the others being outside in the scarcely less dangerous outskirts of the village.