of aeroplanes then, that the General was persuaded by his brigade-major
to step back into shelter from the falling bits, and we all stared
anxiously skywards, expecting every moment that our devoted aviator
would be hit.

That evening Huggie and I rode back to Bavai and beyond in search of an
errant ammunition column. Eventually we found it and brought news of it
back to H.Q. I shall never forget the captain reading my despatch by the
light of my lamp, the waggons guarded by Dorsets with fixed bayonets
appearing to disappear shadowy in the darkness. We showed the captain a
short-cut that avoided Bavai, then left him. His horses were tired, but
he was forced to push them on another ten miles to Dour. We got back at
10, and found Nadine weeping. We questioned her, but she would not tell
us why.

There was a great battle very early the next morning, a running-about
and set, anxious faces. We were all sent off in rapid succession. I was
up early and managed to get a wash at the station-master's house, his
wife providing me with coffee, which, much to my discomfiture, she
liberally dosed with rum. At 6.30 Johnson started on a message to the
15th Brigade. We never saw him again. At 9.15 three despatch riders who
had gone to the 15th, George, Johnson, and Grimers, had not returned. I
was sent. Two miles out I met George with Grimers' despatches. Neither
of them had been able to find the 15th. I took the despatches and sent
George back to report. I went down a road, which I calculated ought to
bring me somewhere on the left of the 15th, who were supposed to be
somewhere between Paturages and Frameries. There were two villages on
hills, one on each side. I struck into the north end of the village on
my left; there was no road to the one on my right.[6] I came across a
lot of disheartened stragglers retreating up the hill. I went a little