I have praised freely--and God knows there is enough to praise out here!--and if my criticism is sparing, it is solely because military criticism in the mouth of an accredited war correspondent acquires a weight in the eyes of the enemy that gives it the value of direct information. I am anxious to express my gratitude to the Editor of the _Daily Mail_, who has generously allowed me to reproduce some of the admirable photographs in my book, and to M. René Baschet, _Directeur-Gérant_ of the very excellent French weekly, _L’Illustration_, for his courtesy in permitting me to reprint M. Georges Scott’s striking sketch of “Silent Ypres.” G. VALENTINE WILLIAMS. IN THE FIELD, _September, 1915_. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. OF OUR ARMY IN THE FIELD 1 II. THE WAR OF POSITIONS 21 III. THE FIGHT FOR THE SALIENT 46 IV. SILENT YPRES 97 V. BILLETS IN THE FIELD 117 VI. CASTLES IN FLANDERS 139 VII. G.H.Q. 151 VIII. THE CHIEF 169 IX. INTO THE FIRING-LINE 188 X. THE COMRADESHIP OF THE TRENCHES 213 XI. THE PRINCE OF WALES 234 XII. THE GUARDS IN FLANDERS 245 XIII. THE ARBITERS OF VICTORY 264 XIV. CHILDREN OF THE RAJ 280 XV. T.F. 300 XVI. THE EYES OF THE ARMY 319 XVII. ENTER THE NEW ARMY 337 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS SILENT YPRES _Frontispiece_ PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR _Facing page_ 1 A CORNER OF A TRENCH WITH A TRAVERSE ON THE EXTREME LEFT ” ” 24 THE WAR OF BOMB AND KNIFE; FRENCH SOLDIERS WITH MASKS AND STEEL HELMETS ” ” 28 A BURSTING MINE ” ” 34 MAP TO ILLUSTRATE THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES ” ” 49 BILLETS IN THE FIELD: THE BRITISH SOLDIER AND HIS PEASANT HOSTS ” ” 126 CRICKET AT THE FRONT ” ” 132 A SCENE AT A BASE ” ” 160 “THE CHIEF” ” ” 170 UNDER THE EYE OF “THE CHIEF”--TROOPS MARCHING PAST SIR JOHN FRENCH AT THE FRONT ” ” 180 IN A GERMAN TRENCH ” ” 202 GERMAN PRISONERS ” ” 230 BIG SHELL EXPLODING ON A ROAD IN FRANCE--GERMAN SOLDIERS IN FOREGROUND ” ” 266 INDIAN CAVALRY IN A FRENCH VILLAGE ” ” 288 INDIAN INFANTRY ON THE MARCH ” ” 296