the Germans could if they liked have walked on into Ypres, for they had
broken into the salient, and there was no other organized line of
defence between them and the town. Fortunately they did not realise
this, or, as is more probable, they never imagined that their flame
attack would prove so successful. Still, they might make a further
effort at any moment, and it was to meet this that we had been moved
into Maple Copse.

All through the night and the following day there were continual short
artillery bombardments by both sides, and on four occasions the Copse
was shelled with salvoes of shrapnel in rapid succession. As not more
than half of us had any sort of dug-outs, and the remainder had to rely
mainly on tree trunks for protection, our casualties were fairly heavy,
and in a short time we had lost 23 wounded, including H. West, the mess
cook, L.-Corpl. J.H. Cramp, and several other notabilities. We might,
during the day, have built ourselves some sort of cover, but every
available man had to be sent carrying bombs, ammunition, and trench
mortars for the Sherwood Foresters, whose left flank was constantly in
touch with the enemy. One of these carrying parties found by "D" Company
had the misfortune to be led by a guide, who lost his way, into the
corner of Zouave Wood, and in a few minutes six of them were wounded by
a machine gun which opened fire on them at twenty yards' range; they
were carried out by the rest of the party, who escaped under cover of
the brushwood, but one, Carroll, died a few days later. By the evening
of the 31st the situation was more satisfactory, and a new front line
trench had been organized west of the wood, linking up with the Sherwood
Foresters, who now no longer required carrying parties. Meanwhile, it
was discovered that from his newly captured position, the Boche
completely overlooked the track from Zillebeke to Maple Copse, and
accordingly we were ordered to start at once to dig a communication