Immediately after their arrival I saw them at Vieille Chapelle, December 20. Even whilst I was going round and talking to the officers and N.C.O.’s, the angry and increasing roar of guns was growing louder, and just as I had finished explaining how they would at first be employed by platoons in the trenches, an orderly arrived with a note to say the German attacks were in full swing and my presence was required at my Headquarters. These days of telephone warfare have destroyed the glamour, such as is left of it, for Generals. It is difficult to get away and see something of the fray oneself, but it amused me to think after all my explanations and injunctions that this corps was in fact to learn its lesson in the thick of the fighting without any preliminary practice at all. Thus the 4th Seaforths, under their fine commander, MacFarlane, marched away from the ground and their next halt was in the second-line trenches running south from La Couture. The officers and men all looked like fighters, and, as will be related later, they did not belie their looks and rendered grand service throughout. In accordance with the general plans for the local offensives, Lieut.-General Watkis, in command of the Lahore Division, had also directed an attack, on December 19, against a front of 300 yards of German trenches N.E. of Givenchy, as already stated. The attacking companies were drawn from the Highland Light Infantry and the 4th Gurkhas, the latter being on the right, and this formed the left of the combined Divisional attack, and was commanded by Colonel Ronaldson, H.L.I., a good soldier. The Ferozepore Brigade was on the right of the Sirhinds, and the 129th Baluchis were to have furnished the companies to complete the attack which was being delivered from the point of junction of the two Brigades, but this battalion, after its hard fighting on the 16th instant, was not fit for another thrust and was replaced by the 59th Rifles of the Jalandar Brigade.