I should also like to record the help rendered by my publishers, Messrs. Gale & Polden, Ltd.; throughout the long period that has elapsed since the work was first commenced their interest and assistance have never flagged.

In conclusion, I must add that financial responsibility for the production of the book was generously accepted by a small body of gentlemen who shall be nameless, but in the absence of whom it is certain that the work could never have been undertaken.

C. E. W.

3, Lawn Road,
Hampstead, N.W. 3.
August, 1920.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER IPAGE
Formation of the Battalion—The Depot—Blackpool—Canterbury—Margate—Upstreet Camp—Canterbury—Gore Street Camp[1]
CHAPTER II
Preparation for Overseas—Bourley Camp—Inkerman Barracks, Woking[17]
CHAPTER III
Overseas—Strazeele—Fleurbaix—Bac St. Maur—Rue du Bois—Rue Marle—Rue Dormoire[30]
CHAPTER IV
Armentières up to Gas Attack[68]
CHAPTER V
From Gas Attack to St. Hilaire—Passchendaele (First Time)—Louches[126]
CHAPTER VI
Passchendaele (Second Time)—Armentières—St. Hilaire (Second Time)—Arrewage—Fleurbaix[148]
CHAPTER VII
Merville—Period in Reserve—Gommecourt—Fampoux[172]
CHAPTER VIII
Battle of Cambrai [204]
CHAPTER IX
Ruitz—Lille—Froyennes[231]
CHAPTER X
Armistice—Lille—Arras—Finale [252]
APPENDICES
APPENDIX I
Brief Notes on Specialists[269]
APPENDIX II
Roll of Commanding Officers, Seconds in Command, Adjutants, and Quartermasters Rolls of Company Commanders (Overseas) and Warrant Officers (Overseas)[281]
APPENDIX III
Nominal Roll and Record of Service of all Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men[286]
Index of Persons and Principal Places [361]
ILLUSTRATIONS
Lieut.-Colonel W. A. L. Fletcher, D.S.O.[Frontispiece]
Facing page
Battalion Cap Badge, Title, and Distinguishing Patch[1]
Colonel G. A. Wilson, V.D.[16]
The Battalion—Blackpool, 1914[33]
Group—Canterbury, 1916[33]
The Officers—Margate, 1915[48]
The King's Inspection, Review Ground, Laffan's Plain, 1916[65]
The Officers—Woking, February, 1917[80]
Sergeants' Mess—Woking, February, 1917[97]
The Battalion—Woking, February, 1917[104]
Rue de Lille, Armentières[112]
Houplines Road, looking towards Armentières[129]
Boche Front Line opposite Left Sector, Houplines. Frelinghien in Background, and River Lys in Flood[129]
Houplines—British and German Trenches on Left Company's Front. River Lys, Hobbs and Edmeads Farms. Aeroplane Photo dated 1/1/18[144]
The Pont Ballot Salient Houplines. British and German Trench on Right and Right Centre Companies' Front. Aeroplane Photo dated 28/12/17[144]
The Trail to Passchendaele[161]
Near Langemarck[161]
Lieut.-Colonel Hon. N. C. Gathorne-Hardy, D.S.O.[176]
Gommecourt Park[193]
General View of Fampoux[193]
Mœuvres, Inchy and Canal du Nord. Oblique Aeroplane Photograph[208]
Quéant [225]
Inchy[225]
Pronville[225]
"Cheerio"[232]
The Canal du Nord[240]
Canal de L'Escaut near Cambrai[240]
The Cambrai—Bapaume Road, near Fontaine Notre Dâme[240]
Approach to Cambrai—Rifle Range in Foreground. Photographed by Aeroplane, 1/10/18[248]
Hôtel de Ville, Arras[257]
Lieut.-Colonel C. L. Macdonald, D.S.O.[264]
Lieut.-Colonel C. C. Stapledon [264]
MAPS
Facing page
Boutillerie Sector[40]
Rue Du Bois Sector[58]
Houplines[72]
Pont Ballot Salient Houplines[106]
In Front of Langemarck[140]
Houthulst Forest Sector[150]
Site of Raid, March, 1918[170]
Gommecourt[188]
Fampoux[200]
The Capture of Riencourt[210]
The Road to Cambrai[216]
Operations 21-23 October, 1918, North of Tournai[242]
Hazebrouck, 5a [In Pocket at end]
Lens 11
Cambrai Area
Lille and Tournai

Battalion Cap Badge, Title, and Distinguishing Patch