When the Division had got clear away, the Brigade resumed the column of route formation, and the retreat was continued.  Once again during the morning a German Taube flew overhead.  A violent fusillade broke out from the road, from which the aeroplane suffered less than the men, as they were in too close formation to fire properly.  A vast quantity of ammunition was wasted, and the position and strength of the column was thus demonstrated to the airman.  It was decided in future to hide as completely as possible, whenever an enemy aeroplane hove in sight, and not on any account to fire at it.

Later on a German patrol menaced the column, but, having forced it to deploy in some measure, withdrew.  The rest of the march passed uneventfully, but the country became less flat than hitherto—­an addition to their trials!

He tried his French on the Battalion’s interpreter, who in peace time had been an Avocat in Paris, and who told him many things of the French Army.  He spoke of its dauntless patriotism, its passionate longing for revenge, fostered for many long years of national subservience; the determination to avenge the humiliations of Delcasse, of Agadir, of the Coronation at Versailles.  As vivacious and eloquent as only one of his nation and calling can be, he praised the confidence of the French Army and its “Generalissime.”  He repeated the great names of the army—­De Castlenau, Percin, Sarrail, and many more unknown to the Subaltern.  He spoke with deep feeling.  A spark of the fire that, in her hours of need, never fails his country, had descended upon him, and, in the eyes of the stolid British soldiers around, transformed him.

CHAPTER VIII

ST. QUENTIN AND LA FERE

In the afternoon a large town was reached, probably St. Quentin, through which long trains of Motor Transport were rumbling.  A halt was made some miles to the south of this town.  While they were taking their evening meal the ever-pursuing sound of artillery fire was heard from over the ridge.  Two of the companies were hastily fallen in, and marched away to this scene of activities, to undergo probably yet another rear-guard action.  The remaining companies were then set to dig themselves in, astride the road.

As you have seen from these rough descriptions of the first three days of the battle in Belgium, the most that is seen of the enemy is but a passing glimpse.  If the Higher Command decide that to give battle in any determined measure would be to expose their force to unnecessary chances of defeat, and to endanger the ultimate success of the campaign, it is very unlikely that the infantry soldier will see his enemy at a distance of less than five or six hundred yards.  There is always the danger, if the enemy are allowed to come to close quarters, that the defenders will find themselves so pinned to their ground that it is impossible to extricate themselves from their position without losses of greater magnitude than would be warranted by the success obtained.  So far this Division, at any rate, had succeeded in their mission of delaying the enemy by forcing him to deploy, at the same time taking the greatest care to refuse open battle.