The great event of the day was the steeplechase.  The Staff Captain, Major J.E.  Viccars, on “Solomon,” led all the way, but was beaten in the last twenty yards by Major Newton, R.F.A.  Lieut.  L.H.  Pearson was third on “Sunlock II.,” the transport Serjeant’s horse.  It was a remarkable performance, for he only decided to ride at the last moment, and neither he nor horse had trained at all.  The Battalion did well in other events, winning 1st and 2nd places in both obstacle and mule races, and providing the best cooker and best pack pony; the two last were a great credit to the Transport Section.  One of the features of the day was the Bookies’ G.S. wagon, where two officers disguised with top hats, yellow waistcoats and pyjamas, carried on a successful business as “turf accountants.”  At a VIIth.  Corps meeting, held a fortnight later on the same course, we secured two places for the Battalion:  Capt.  Burnett came home 2nd in an open steeplechase, and Capt.  Moore 3rd in one for Infantry officers only.

During September our Mess, already up to strength, was considerably increased by a large draft of Officers.  First we were glad to see Major Griffiths back as Second in Command, though sorry for Captain John Burnett, who had to go back to Transport for the time.  With Major Griffiths came 2nd Lieuts.  J.R.  Brooke, S. Corah, and W.I.  Nelson, while within the same month, or shortly afterwards, 2nd.  Lieuts.  L.A.  Nelson, J.H.  Ball, P. Measures, T.L.  Boynton, W.C.  Walley, W. Lambert, M.F.  Poynor, and J.A.  Wortley all arrived.  In October also Serjeant Beardmore, M.M., of “C” Company, who had latterly being doing exceptionally good work with the Battalion Scouts, was given his Commission in the Field, and reposted as a platoon Commander to the old Company.  Capt.  Barton’s place as M.O. was taken by Captain T.D.  Morgan, of the 2nd Field Ambulance.  At the same time a stroke of bad luck robbed us of 2nd Lieut.  Coles, who was badly wounded.  During a raid of the 4th Lincolnshires in October it was our duty to cause a diversion by blowing up some tubes of ammonal in the Boche wire.  The party, led by 2nd Lieut.  Coles, was about to leave our trenches when a rifle grenade or “pine apple” bomb dropped in their midst and exploded one of the tubes, doing much damage.

During these long months of trench warfare a considerable advance was made in the work of the Intelligence department of the Infantry Battalion.  A year ago one officer did duty for a whole Brigade, now each Battalion had its Intelligence officer, its scouts and observers, and its snipers, sometimes the last under a separate officer.  The duties of the Intelligence section were many.  They must see and report every little thing which happened in the enemy’s lines, no small detail must be omitted.  The number and colours of his signal lights on different occasions, the relative activity of his different batteries and their positions, the movement of his transport, the