The next morning we were entrained at Albert and commenced our journey up north, and after remaining a day at Abbeville, we finally reached Câstre, near Hazebrouk after spending four monotonous days in the train. We then went to Flêtre reinforcement camp and remained there in the pouring rain until next morning, November 22nd. The weather was now beginning to break up and winter was coming on with the result that there was a good deal of rain and cold winds, causing a return of our hated enemy, the mud. Next day, the 20th Battalion men in Flêtre reinforcement camp marched through the town of Hazebrouk to a village called Wallon-Capel, four kilometres to the westward, and there rejoined the battalion in Billets. Whilst I had been away, the battalion had made another attack on October 9th, on the German trenches on Paschendale ridge, and had been badly cut up in consequence. After being relieved, they had been employed on fatigue duty, about the firing line until October 22nd when they had again attacked under terrible conditions of rain and mud and had practically been wiped out. After that they had been reinforced by details and had performed more fatigue work until at last they were relieved and had come back into the rest areas for a spell out of the forward area, and were rejoined by us at Wallon-Capel.

Lieut. Leewins was in charge of “B” Company for a time, as Major Hosking had unfortunately been killed two months before, and although the company barely numbered fifty all told, I was greeted with delight, as another officer to share the work. For four days we remained at Wallon-Capel, filling in the time with light drill, marching and refitting, etc. until on the fifth day the battalion route marched to the village of Outtersteene, where it went into billets for the night. Here Sgts. Balmanno of B coy and O. Shepherd received their commissions, Balmanno being attached to B coy for rations and duty. In the morning, we were reformed again and marched via Steinwerck to Waterlands hut encampment where we remained for four days prior to again going into the line in the Le Foquet sector. Waterlands camp was situated near Erquinghem and was familiar ground to the men of the 5th Brigade as it was in this vicinity that they were billeted in early 1916, when holding the Bois Grenice sector and consequently the men made the most of their time in revisiting old haunts and in seeking out old French friends who were all pleased to see them back again.

Most of the officers being fresh to this sector, the C.O. Col. Ralston received orders to take all officers and familiarise them with the defences of Armentieres, so that on the second day after our arrival, horses were provided and a batch of the battalions officers, including myself, rode through Erquinghem to Armentieres where we reported to the Town Major. This officer provided us with guides and we thereupon set out via the deserted and sadly battered streets and houses to the North East side of the town and a little beyond into the open fields where we found the positions which we were to occupy with our platoons and companies if necessary and the shortest route thereto, we pronounced ourselves familiar with them and forthwith returned to Waterlands camp by the route we had come. In riding back through the City of Armentieres, one could not help feeling depressed at the sight of so much useless destruction as could be seen on every side. The population had evidently beaten a rather hurried retreat, from the town as it was not an uncommon sight to see an estaminet, stripped bare of its front wall, disclosing wine and beer bottles on the shelves, with glasses standing half full on the tables, while in other houses, unmade beds and wardrobes full of clothing stood exposed to view through the gaping holes made by the shell fire. The reason of the hurried exit of the population was that the Germans one night suddenly opened up a bombardment of gas shells causing numerous casualties amongst the population who had elected to remain in the town even whilst it was so close to the front line, and who seeing that the enemy was tired of their presence, quickly made up their minds to quit.