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[Page 36]
we moved back to Hazebrouck. This city was again out of range of his artillery, but aeroplanes sometimes got over it at night and dropped bombs. The Hun was making a rearward movement and so the devasted areas that had been under fire could now be salvaged. When the Brigade went in from here a few men from each battalion were left out, myself being among the number. We formed a farm-hand Bdge & reaped the crops. By this means thousand of pounds worth of straw and grain was saved. About this time which was about the middle of Autumn, our Division was attached to another Army Corps and we were expecting that as the culminating phase in the Allied offensive on the Somme was on the point of taking place, our presence might shortly be required on the scene of the successful activities. Whilst camped at Circes the 1st Division received their marchin g orders to proceed to the Somme. All available transport was now being used in the counter offensive of Foch's that was drivening the Hun out of the huge salient that he had formed on his advance on Paris. Owing to this the Division had to sover this distance for the greater part by marching. Rarely could limbers in sufficient numbers be supplied to lighten us of our packs or other war material. Finally after about six weeks the Division reached the Somme, and rested for a few days. Later we advanced through Villers Bretonneux and took part in the great 'hop over" on the famous "eight Aug Lihonse, or the few heaps pf bricks that had stood fell into our hands.