of the trench to collapse, fixing the loose wire very firmly on either
side. From a purely defensive point of view there was no harm in this,
but any attacking force would need the whole trench for assembly
purposes and to "jump off," and the work of clearing the long wired-up
sections was very hard indeed. The posts themselves were well dug and
well sighted, there were one or two good communication trenches, and
Foncquevillers, still well preserved in spite of its proximity to the
Boche, provided excellent homes for Battalion Headquarters, support
Companies, and even baths and canteen. The enemy, except for some "rum
jars" and heavy trench mortars from Gommecourt, was fairly quiet on the
whole front, and, except when trousers had to be discarded to allow of
wading in the front line, the trenches were by no means uncomfortable.

For the rest of May we stayed at Souastre, occasionally visiting the
line with working parties, or on tours of inspection, but for the most
part working in the Foncquevillers plain, where battery positions
without number were being built. By the end of the month we learnt the
meaning of all these preparations. Gommecourt was to be attacked in the
near future in conjunction with other greater attacks further South. The
Staffords and the Sherwood Foresters were going to do the attack with
their right on the Sucrerie, their left on the "Z," while the 56th
Division on our right would attack the village from the S.E. The Park,
most of the village, and the Chateau would thus not be directly
attacked, but it was hoped that the two Divisions would meet on the East
side, and so cut off large numbers of Germans in the isolated area. Our
Brigade was to be in reserve. Meanwhile, a large full-sized model of the
German lines was dug near Lucheux forest, where the attacking Brigades
started practising at once. Incidentally the model took many acres of
arable land, and, though it was very well paid for, the French grumbled
loudly, and the 46th Division was known in Lucheux as "les autres