region of Ytres and Fins. Little time was lost in the necessary
preliminaries and we relieved a battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's L.I.
of the 21st division in support in the wood. "D" company were early
unfortunate and suffered a number of casualties from heavy shelling on
the shallow trenches which they manned near the western edge of the
Wood. The enemy had noted the continued movement in this vicinity, and
suddenly decided to pay attention to it in the usual manner. This spot
was always remembered afterwards as "Where 'D' Company were shelled."

Conditions at Havrincourt were rather different from those at Epehy,
although the same characteristics due to recent consolidation still
prevailed. It was more interesting, however, and in many senses more
"livable," a word of deep meaning on the Western front! In the British
lines--the canal, the slag-heap (or more correctly slag-heaps) and the
wood dominated all other landmarks. The canal, a portion of the Canal du
Nord, was in course of construction at the outbreak of war, and its
deep, well-laid bed is one of the engineering wonders of this part of
France. At Havrincourt it first runs west to east and then sharply bends
to the north towards Moeuvres past Hermies. The left of the 42nd
divisional front rested on the bend, after running over a huge chalk and
limestone slag-heap which stands at the corner. Going southwards the
line roughly skirted the eastern edge of the wood which lies upon a
slope facing the east.

Before their retirement, the Germans had cut down all trees on this
forward slope, some said in order to make use of the timber, others for
tactical reasons, so as to leave us exposed to view. I should say both
reasons weighed heavily with them, but principally the latter, for it
was noticeable that the woods in their own lines had not been so
denuded. Havrincourt village lay behind the enemy's front line on a