But it was not alone the battle partners who were pleased and surprised.
The whole Allied front rang with the news of victory.
We had sent up our tentative ballon d’essai, and behold it had sailed up, high above our highest expectations and now hung, a token in the sky. All men might know that though Apollyon had straddled all across the way, we had beaten him and were at last come out of the Valley of Humiliation.
CHAPTER XVI
WITH THE FRENCH—THE BATTLE OF MOREUIL
The 5th Brigade and the Australians had sworn eternal friendship with a refreshing enthusiasm.
They were like two schoolgirl friends, not to be separated, and at Vaux, whither they had retired for combined training, metaphorically went about all day with their arms round each other’s waists.
Therefore, when on July 17 orders reached the 5th Tank Brigade that they were to send a Battalion south to fight with the French, consternation reigned.
If anybody went it would have to be the 2nd Battalion, which had not fought at Hamel at all.