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[Page 31]
run, found ourselves at a military siding near Amiens. From here after about 6 hours march we reached Bellog-sar-Somme, at which place we rested for about a week and during that time had manoeuvres every day. As I was Directorman I used to ride ahead with Captain Tanning, who explained everything as he chose the position for the battery etc. and it was great to stand at the O.F. and see the Battery come into action on the flat below. The country around here was beautiful, whilst the effect of the numberless red poppies and blue cornflowers sprinkled amongst the golden wheat all shimmering in the bright sunlight made a wonderful picture. It was great to stand on top of a hill and see miles of undulating country cut up into little squares of green, chocolate and gold and dotted here and there with picturesque little woods, out of many of which peeped an ancient chateau or the faint outlines of a little villiage. One could not possibly have thought of war as he rode on a beautiful spring morning along those white winding roads through stately avenues of elms and with such scenery surrounding him. Fromm Bellog we went to Val-de-Maison and after staying there a few days continued our marches and at last camped the night just outside Albert. Next afternoon the Captain called for me and we rode out to the position the guns were to take up, which proved to be a valley just behind Poziers. Our troops having occupied it about two day's before. The guns came up towards nightfall and we were soon contributing our modest number of shells to the hundreds that were whistling their way across to "Fritz". Corp, Miller and myself have built a dugout on the side of the road just behind the guns, the battery being situated on the hill on the left and at the head of the valley (Sausage Valley) Sitting in my dugout I had a great view and the whole valley was a scene of indescribable activity, like a huge mining camp, with the road looking more like a great centipede as pack horses leaded with ammunition, travelling kitchens, artillery ammunitions wagons and transports and all sorts of vehicles of all shapes and sizes not forgetting the ever present ambulance waggons, came wending their way in and out the troops passing to and fro. Of the latter, these going into the trenches, were clean shaven and as steady as a rock, but those