over the line North of the River Ancre, opposite Beaumont Hamel, and the
following day several lorry loads of officers reconnoitred the country
round Forceville, Englebelmer and Mailly Maillet, where there were some
rear defence lines. Maps of the front were issued, and we were about to
arrange trench reconnaissances, when the orders were cancelled and we
moved instead, on the 20th, to Bernaville, and joined the rest of the
Brigade. The other Battalions and Brigade Headquarters were in the
neighbouring villages. At this time the people of Leicestershire were
once more very good to us, and our War Diary contains a note that "This
day the C.O. acknowledges with thanks the gifts of 30,000 cigarettes
from our 2/5th Battalion, also a hand ambulance from Messrs. Symington
and Co., Market Harborough." The last survived the rough usages of war
for a very long time, and many a wounded man has been thankful for its
springs and rubber tyres.

The rest of the month was spent in doing a little training and a deal of
road-clearing. It snowed very hard once or twice, and many of the roads
became impossible for traffic, so each Battalion was allotted a road to
keep clean, ours being the main road to Fienvillers, along which we
spread ourselves armed with picks and shovels, while the village boys
threw snowballs at us. The 5th Division were moving North at the time,
and a whole day was spent by some of the Battalions dragging their
transport up a steep hill, a task beyond the strength of the horses.
Fortunately we were spared this, probably because we took care not to
clear the road to Brigade Headquarters, and so were left untouched.
During this very bad weather we lost 2nd Lieut. Brooke, who had to go to
Hospital with nephritis.

On the 29th we moved to Doullens, where we spent an enjoyable week, and
were introduced to yet another innovation. In August, 1915, the French