THE YPRES TIMES
169
It was a glorious summer day, every gun was silent, the troops idled the time
in readiness for another night's work, the very war itself seemed far away. It was
this sense of peace and restfulness that no doubt prompted H.B. on his return to
England to write that Tommy was always smiling and was having a good time."
It was a pity his visit had not been arranged a little earlier in the year, when the
Bosche was showing his temper in artillery retaliation and back area shoots
after his loss of such important strongholds.
In the German offensive of March, 1918, the railway was again the scene of
some terrific fighting in a determined attack on Arras by seven German divisions.
Although our line was bent, it did not break, and it was the heroic resistance of the
56th (London) Division and the 15th (Scottish) Division that barred the way and
destroyed the scheme of the German High Command.
A recent visit to the cutting revealed but few signs of the struggles waged in
those fateful days. Here and there a subsidence betrayed the blown-in dug-out
entrances, but little else remains from which to suspect its past history.
The bridge, however, still bears its wounds, although now healed, but plain
for all the world to see for many years to come.By R. S. Beck, Drake Battalion
and 188 Machine Gun Company, 63rd Royal Naval Division.
DINNER OF BULLY BEEF AND TEA.
Ex-Soldiers Recapture the
War Spirit.
Three hundred business men dined
together on January 31st as they used
to do eleven years ago; circumstances
were a little changed in that rest billets
had given place to the banqueting hall
of the Royal Hotel. Bloomsbury, and
they did not wear khaki.
Ranks were forgotten for the even
ing except for a brief moment when a
dapper but fierce orderly officer,"
accompanied by a fiercer orderly
sergeant and a doubtful-looking
quartermaster-sergeant, made his
rounds of the "mess-room" to receive
any complaints concerning a meal
which brought back memories.
Here is the menu
Roast(if lucky).
Spuds and greens.
Spotted dog.
Rice and plum and apple.
Fromage.
Biscuits de chien.
Sergeant-major's tea.
All calls were sounded by bugle and
by cavalry trumpet, and the musical
programme ranged from "Tipperary"
to "Colonel Bogey" (troops' version).
Each table was appropriately marked
with such familiar names as Hell
Fire Corner," "Wipers Lane," "Sanc
tuary Wood," Piccadilly," Rest-
cure," and Windy Corner."
Operation Orders.
Operation orders were issued for the
evening, it being stated that the attack
would take place at 18.30 hours, the
outer defence, known as cocktails,'
to be taken at all costs." All ranks
were asked to co-operate in the duty of
moppers-up," and, with regard to
casualties," it was ordered that they
should be evacuated as follows
Walking wounded will support
each other so far as the first clearing
station, Kabrank (map reference
X-in taxi). Those incapable of mov
ing will be operated upon immedi
ately and removed by motor-ambu
lance to Vine Street Rest Station.
The 300 were all members of the Ex-
Service Men's Dinner Club of Messrs.
Thomas Cook, the tourist agents.
(Reprinted by kind permission of
Daily Express.")
