COLINCAMPS. LA SIGNY FARM.
All vehicles that brought rations and supplies to the front line took back a load of hay to the transport lines. Divisional orders about this time drew the attention of Transport Officers to the excellent grazing available in a certain map-square. Whether the transport of one particular unit thought that it had found a still “better ’ole” for grazing, or whether it mistook the map-square, is not known, but one day the “Q” staff were more surprised than pleased to see at least one hundred horses peacefully grazing, and the drivers calmly cleaning harness, under the fold of a hill only a few hundred yards from the front line. Divisional orders the next day were very interesting.
Horsemastership
The subject of Horsemastership was one in which the Divisional Commander, as a Cavalry Officer, naturally took much interest. He had found the Division somewhat lax in this respect, and had lost no time in bringing about a considerable improvement. On this, as on all other subjects, experts differed, each having his own fads and foibles which conflicted entirely with those of others, so Transport Officers and Farrier Sergeants led a harassed life while trying to reconcile the irreconcilable. One authority would consider two hot feeds per week vital to the well-being of horses, and another that two would be harmful, but a bran-mash every Saturday night would put a spring into the step and a shine on the coat.
A Divisional Horsemaster was appointed. He was a firm advocate of two hot feeds per week, and it was alleged that by walking down the horse lines he could tell at a glance every horse that had had less or more than this allowance. It was soon seen that the Divisional Commander intended to raise the standard of Horsemastership and Horsemanship by help and advice rather than by “strafing,” and in this he was loyally supported by the Divisional Horsemaster and the Director of Veterinary Services. Faults were pointed out at frequent inspections, and the remedy clearly explained, with the result that all who had to do with horses were soon taking a keen interest in the fitness of their animals, and in rivalry with other units. Some units managed to obtain Soyer stoves for the hot feeds, but those with a smaller transport had to be content with a trough known as a “Canadian Cradle,” in which was stewed a mixture of oats and hayseeds. The latter was not a ration, but was obtained by shaking the hay over a large sieve, and as the weight of seeds obtained from different trusses varied greatly, the unofficial introduction of sweepstakes on the yield per truss added to the keenness of the personnel. When summer came, grazing took the place of the hot feed, and each unit had to find a suitable field and make arrangements. Some congratulated themselves on the excellent bargain made with the farmer, until on arriving at the field they found that it had been let to half a dozen units. It was then no easy matter to find the farmer—who had been paid in advance. But when fences were broken down, and the horses roamed into other fields, or when—on the plea that the owner could not be found—horses were turned into any field that seemed suitable, the farmers were prompt to appear in the transport lines to make complaint. Of course the transport officer could speak French; it was merely the “patois” that baffled him and reduced the argument to a contest of signs and gestures, in which he put up a poor show against the Frenchman. The driver-spectators enjoyed the pantomimes hugely, and would give renderings later for the benefit of less fortunate comrades. A popular explanation given to our allies on such occasions was that the N.C.O. in charge of the grazing party had made a mistake in the map reference, but in time this wore too thin, and a fresh one had to be invented.
But month by month the horsemastership of the Division became more and more efficient. The Divisional Transport competitions did much to improve “turnout” of drivers, horses and vehicles, and when the Division was trekking, the Divisional Commander usually posted himself on the line of route to watch the troops pass. The O.C. unit was called to his side and every small failing pointed out. In a very short time the Division’s transport came up to the standard of a Regular division.
Though there were no actions of great importance in June there were individual acts of gallantry, the following being taken from one day’s record. On June 16 parts of a burning camouflage dropped into the gunpit of X/42 T.M. Battery, setting guncotton charges on fire. The flames were travelling rapidly towards a bomb store when Corporal A. Metcalf and Gunner W. Chesmer gallantly rushed to the pit, unfused the bombs, cleared the pit of bombs and charges and, regardless of danger, extinguished the flames. But for their prompt, courageous action there must have been grave loss of life and material. A daring and successful raid was made on Fusilier Trench the same day by a party of four officers and eighty other ranks of the 7th Manchesters. As the signal was given for withdrawal Sergeant A. S. Fleetwood saw a wounded comrade, with a broken leg, lying beyond the enemy trench. He rushed again into enemy territory and carried the man to our lines, arriving there twenty minutes after the rest of the party.
A very severe epidemic of influenza diminished the strength of the Division during June, and no one was sorry when, on July 2, the New Zealanders took over the Hébuterne sector and so reduced the wide frontage of the Division to 3800 yards. This permitted an infantry brigade, instead of a battalion, to be withdrawn into Divisional Reserve. Offensive operations were mainly confined to harassing the enemy by constant artillery and T.M. fire, by gas, and by frequent raids, which generally resulted in the bringing in of prisoners. Some of these raids were on a large scale; others were minor affairs in which, after careful reconnaissance, an officer and a few N.C.O.s and men would suddenly and quietly make their way into the enemy trenches, effect their purpose, capture a prisoner or two for identification, and return. In the daylight raids no artillery or T.M. preparation was usual, and the withdrawal as a rule was only covered by machine-gun and Lewis-gun fire. The barrages placed round objectives by the Machine Gun Companies contributed largely to the success of the more important enterprises.