Vimy ridge and on to these heights, beyond which the roads to Lens and
Douai lay open. The fighting for the summit had been severe, and in the
end each side retained its grip on the hill top, the opposing trenches
running 30 yards apart along the ridge. Active mining operations had
started soon afterwards, and shortly before our arrival the French had
been compelled to give up a considerable portion of their line, and so
lose their hold on the summit. With it they lost also their view
Eastwards, while the Boche, occupying their evacuated trenches, regained
his view of the next ridge to the West.

This second ridge was more in the nature of a large plateau, stretching
back to Villers-au-bois, and separated from the Vimy ridge by a narrow
steep-sided valley--the "Talus des Zouaves," where the support Battalion
lived in dug-outs. Crossing the plateau from North to South was the main
Béthune, Souchez, Arras road, on which stood the remains of an old inn,
the Cabaret Rouge, where some excellent deep dug-outs provided
accommodation for the French Poste de Colonel and an Advanced Dressing
Station. The plateau was two miles wide, and over the first half (up to
"Point G") ran a long and very tiring duck-board track; beyond "Point G"
were two communication trenches to the line. One, "Boyau 1, 2, 3," was
seldom used, being in bad condition; the other, "Boyau d'Ersatz," was
boarded and well cared for, and used by all. It ran via the Cabaret
Rouge into the Talus des Zouaves, most of the way revetted with a
wonderful "wedding arch" revetment, and thence to the front line,
passing the left Poste de Commandant. The forward part of "Boyau 1, 2,
3," East of the "Talus," was called "Boyau Internationale," leading to
"Boyau Vincent" and so to the front line past the right Poste de
Commandant. Carency, Ablain and Souchez were houseless, Villers au bois
was little better, and our rest billets were huts at Camblain L'Abbé,
about four miles behind the line.