The French soldiers were a tough-looking lot of customers. A bit nondescript as to uniform, and universally campaign worn, unshaven, and mud-plastered, they looked stout and fit for anything. A friendly class of men, respectful to British officers to a degree, a fact that spoke not only of good discipline, but of fine French traditions of politeness. They impressed me as splendid war material, and more, as men of fine character and indomitable determination. Sport behind the lines began to assume quite a healthy state in January. Packs of beagles and hounds and pairs of greyhounds were brought "out" by enthusiasts, and cross-country courses with rare jumps were carefully mapped out. Alas! for "Le Sport." An order came along one day from G.H.Q. which stated that "the Commander-in-Chief regrets that it is necessary to prohibit any more hunting, coursing, shooting, or paper-chasing. This order comes into effect at once." The 2nd Cavalry Brigade drew up a splendid steeplechase programme, which the state of the ground would not have allowed, had no order from G.H.Q. been promulgated. A card of "beagle-meets" was issued, and formed the following somewhat pretentious propaganda:-- "THE 2ND CAVALRY BRIGADE BEAGLES WILL MEET-- SUNDAY Jan. 3rd, C Squadron 4th Dragoon Guards. TUESDAY Jan. 5th, St-Jans-Cappel, Berthen, Cross Roads. THURSDAY Jan. 7th, Headquarters 9th Lancers. SATURDAY Jan. 9th, Berthen. MONDAY Jan. 11th, H Battery. WEDNESDAY Jan. 13th, Headquarters 18th Hussars. FRIDAY Jan. 15th, St-Jans-Cappel Church. SUNDAY Jan. 17th, Headquarters 4th Dragoon Guards. Each day at One o'clock." The Prince of Wales ran more than once with that pack of beagles, and ran well. Football matches were allowed, and were daily fought out between the various regimental teams. General Robertson succeeded General Murray as Chief of the Staff at G.H.Q., a change generally welcomed, as Robertson was held in very high esteem throughout the Army. Many of us considered him the greatest man the British Army had produced throughout the campaign. That is certainly how I should describe him. CHAPTER II. Broken car springs on February 1st took me to Poperinghe, where a Belgian carriage-maker made a villainous repair for a considerable charge. Motor car repairs were fearfully and wonderfully executed at the front in the earlier stages of the war. The G.H.Q. shops were not bad, and once in a while I found clever, conscientious young chaps in charge of a road-side repair shop attached to a division, an ammunition supply column, or some such unit, who had managed to organise a very creditable "first-aid and emergency hospital" for the ills a car was heir to.