It was arranged that "A" and "C" Companies should be in front and support on the right, to enable their men to reconnoitre the area to be raided; and that we should only hold the line for three days to begin with, so as to enable the raiding party to get sufficient training. The tour was not marked by anything of particular moment. "A" Company's Headquarters were subjected to a very considerable bombardment, but luckily without casualties. The efforts of a 6-inch howitzer battery to cut our wire cost us our proposed raid headquarters, and very nearly the lives of the Forward Observation Officer and Lieutenant Hazell, our Intelligence Officer, as well. The enemy wore an air of quietness of a suspicious character, although Intelligence said that the divisions recently concentrated opposite this front had all gone down to the Somme. We had no casualties.

[Area of proposed raid, March, 1918.]

[German Front and Support Lines]

Opposite Hudson Bay-Boutillerie Sector.

March 23rd 18.

2/6 The King's (Liverpool Regt) To face page [170].

On March 29th the Irish took over from us, and our battalion moved out—Headquarters and "B" Company to Fleurbaix, "D" Company to Canteen Farm in reserve to the front line, and "A" and "C" to Sailly to continue their training. A special telephone was laid to the latter in case of emergency.

Battalion Headquarters and "B" Company were all congregated in a set of farm buildings, which, had the enemy attacked, would certainly have been blown to pieces at the very outset. In the absence, on leave, of Major Charles Wilson, Captain Eccles, the next senior excepting the Adjutant, was appointed O.C. Fleurbaix Defences, and included in his command certain machine guns and trench mortars.