THE YPRES TIMES
209
August 27.Outposts 6 a.m. [Not legible]Left Ham 11.30 a.m.
Marched through NoyonsMen extraordinarily good, considering circumstances.
Col. Ward, BrigadierMajor Ross, Brigade MajorBrigadier [not
legible] met with accidentBrigade Major killed at Le CateauArrived Pontoise
midnight.
August 28.Good nightOutposts laterCounter-orders frequentBivou
acked outpostsHuddleston nearly shot by own sentry.
August 29.—Up earlyHurried moveArrived Attichy—-Bridges blown up.
August 30.Left 6 a.m.A delightful march for hours through Forest of
CompiègneMen tired outOutpostsWeird night—Bad positionHad town
sectionEnemy reported all over the place.
August 31.Left very earlyNot attached"A" Company fired at some
UhlansGot in touch with enemy (all arms) during morningC and D
took up position on hill to cover retirement of ist Cavalry Brigade, who had had
a bad timeTook up positionThen got order from Rowley to get in touch with
D Company and go for village of NéryWent on with No. 9 PlatoonGould
following with remainder of companyWent through village to rightG [Gould]
followed to leftPlace had been badly shelledBattery and Bays horses—Horses
and men dead and wounded all over the placeMade way through villageJoined
by C.O.Continued to crestFound D Company, who had assisted in capture
of 8 guns and about 40 prisonersSmashed blocks of gunsTold off as escort to
prisonersremainder of Company turned up, having taken some prisoners*Paul
got German horse, which I rode for a time when mine was killedJefferd wounded
and think in hands of enemy, as had to retire from Néry because of very superior
numbers coming onRetired to FrinonsOutpostsHad position told off in dusk,
and got them somewhat mixed up in dark, as telescoped with D Company
Hairy nightToo many woods and dead ground about-Area for troops available
too great.
September 1.Left 5.30 a.m. for DammartinGlad we had not been attacked
Many haltsHeat intenseBivouacked.
September 2.Left for Langy 1.30 a.m., arrived tLsur Marne 1.30 p.m.
Rest camp 4 p.m.Good night.
September 3.Slack dayGood news.
September 4.Moved 1.30 a.m., passed through Pontcaire.
September 5.4.30 a.m. movedJoined by Evatt and ist reinforcement.
Started advance against enemypassed through JoussignyVilleneuve.
September 6.—Up at 6 a.m.Quite late for a changeHorrocks and draft
arrivedContinued advance through Serris and [name illegible] and came to
Le Chateau where met smart§ party of enemyDriven off by Essex
Regiment.
September 7.Up at 3 a.m.Expected order to move against enemyFine
weather19th Brigade, i.e., ourselves, on extreme leftNo enemy in sight
Trekked on to[name illegible, something like Pierreleve] to a bivouac, where
we halted.
Town lootedMarched on until enemy's rearguard located at Signy Signets
River Marne"A" and C Companies sent on in advanceAdvanced
*Note.(Not in Diary). Men naturally elated about the guns and prisoners, evidently thought
the war as good as won.
tl doubt the correctness of latter name.
♦Think must have meant Chateau Thierry.
§Must mean small."
