Three days were spent at Le Maisnil, during which the seizure of Lille was
carefully studied by the officers and orders were given as to the mode of
procedure should the enemy evacuate the town. On the 17th October at 1-15
p.m. the Battalion paraded in fighting order and advanced to the
deliverance of the city. There was at this time a vague report that the
enemy had departed, but it was not known to what point the British troops
had then attained. There might have been troops between the Battalion and
the enemy, and there might not. Road mines and "booby" traps were to be
expected. The Battalion arrived at Haubourdin at 4 p.m., where there was a
halt for a meal. On reaching the suburbs of Lille advance guards had to be
sent out, as any point of vantage might have concealed an enemy machine
gun. The canal on the west of the city was reached about 5 o'clock. The
bridges had all been blown up, but the Pont de Canteleu, though broken in
two and half in the canal, afforded a means of crossing one at a time.

At this bridge the greatest excitement prevailed. Crowds of women were
singing the "Marseillaise." They surrounded the troops and could not be
prevented from kissing the soldiers. So great was the crowd that the
passage of the troops was impeded. Eventually the companies reached their
allotted stations and formed guards on the various gates to prevent all
egress. In this way the Battalion was the first infantry to reach the
city. Actually the first to enter was "D" Company.

Here was a city without civil administration. The late authorities had
been the Germans, and they had gone. There were no police and no post; the
streets were unlit and the trams had long since ceased to run; garbage was
deposited in the street and there putrified. There was a great shortage of
food. The shops were empty, hundreds had died of want, and the strength of
the inhabitants was very low.