cellars of the gutted houses in the neighbourhood of the Boulevard Malou,
which was a better class district once inhabited by the more wealthy
citizens. Headquarters and one company were housed in the cellars of the
Ecole Moyenne, which was erroneously called the Convent. These billets
were not bad, though in many cases damp.

For the companies there was a parade in the morning, and every evening
several working parties paraded at the Convent, and marched out afterwards
through the Menin Gate for work in the Brigade area. The biggest working
party numbered 100. It moved off at 5-30 p.m., drew shovels, picks, and
gum boots at Potijze Dump, and then worked until almost midnight in
constructing Cambridge Trench. The work was inadequately supervised by the
Royal Engineers, who left the task to a second corporal and a few sappers,
and consequently little progress was made and most probably the trench was
never properly completed. The men had their last meal at 4-30 p.m., and as
a consequence they could not work with proper efficiency right up to
midnight. After a while they became very tired and were unable to
continue. As a considerable quantity of material was requisite to keep the
trenches in repair, large carrying parties were necessary. These could
have been to a large extent obviated had light Decauville railways been
constructed, such as the Germans were discovered later to have been using.

For the comfort of the men there was a Divisional canteen near the billets
in Ypres, and another in the Infantry Barracks. There was a recreation
room in the Prison, where Church parades were held later. There were also
baths in the Rue d'Elverdinghe, so that the men were able to keep clean.

During the day there was very little movement at Ypres, but at night this
was different, as the transport lorries had to bring up stores and
ammunition for the guns. They used to go through the city at a great pace