Boches."

On the evening of the 4th June we moved up through Foncquevillers, and
relieved the 5th Sherwood Foresters in the right sector, opposite
Gommecourt Park. A road and bank, running parallel with the front line,
and about 100 yards behind it, provided Battalion Headquarters. Behind
this again, the "Bluff," a steep bank, gave the support Company a good
home. Here we remained until the 21st, with a two-days' holiday at
Humbercamps in the middle, a holiday spent in digging cable trenches and
carrying trench mortars and ammunition. It was a long time to remain in
the line, but one Company lived always in a large house in
Foncquevillers, where they were very comfortable, and could get baths
and other luxuries.

The enemy was not very active, and our most important task was now to
prevent him from guessing our intentions. This soon became impossible,
for, in addition to the ever increasing Artillery, the new cable
trenches, and the Lucheux model, we started to dig a new line of
trenches some 100 yards in front of our front line, along the attack
sector. We, being opposite the Park, did not have to do this, but the
Division on our right and the rest of our Brigade on the left were both
out digging every night. After the first night it became exceedingly
dangerous, for the Boche, knowing exactly where we were working, kept up
a steady bombardment on the right with trench mortars, and, on the left,
swept the ground continuously with accurate machine gun fire. We were
ordered to keep all hostile patrols out of No Man's Land, and
consequently our parties were out most of the night. The Boche, however,
showed no inclination to do the same, and, even though we fixed up an
insulting notice board in front of his wire, never put in an appearance.
Incidentally the back of the board was covered with luminous paint, and