Towards the end of the tour the enemy attempted a small raid against our somewhat isolated right post, but was easily driven off by our Lewis guns, and made no other attempts.  On the 25th of May the Sherwood Foresters took our place, and we marched out to Marqueffles Farm.  The tour had cost us twenty-four casualties, three of whom were killed; we had some narrow escapes in the cellars, and were fortunate not to lose more.  “D” Company had had a particularly bad time, and owe much to Serjeant Burbidge, who seemed in his element in the midst of terrific explosions and rocking cellars, and saved many casualties by his calmness.

Marqueffles Farm stands next to Marqueffles coal mine, at the foot of the Northern slopes of the Lorette ridge.  The Companies were all billeted in the farm, and the officers in tents outside, while a home-made marquee formed an excellent mess.  After our first difficulty, which was to find the place at all in the utter darkness of relief night, we spent a very happy twelve days in beautiful weather.  After coal mines and squalid narrow streets, the woods of Lorette, the little village of Bouvigny, and the open country were delightful, for the scenery to the south was all very pleasing.  Games of all descriptions were our programme for the first two days, while our chief amusement was to watch the enemy’s attempts to hit the observation balloon above us.  His shells, fitted with clockwork fuzes, burst very high, and were quite harmless.

But our stay in Marqueffles was not merely a rest, we were there to practice for an attack to be made shortly on Fosse 3.  A plan of the Fosse and its trenches was marked out, and each day the assaulting Companies, “B” and “C,” practiced their attack over it, until each man knew his task exactly.  In addition to this “C” Company were able to scale the Marqueffles slag-heap, and so prepare themselves for Fosse 3, whose 30 feet they would have to climb in the battle.  General Kemp had had to go to Hospital with a poisoned foot and Colonel Thorpe, the Divisional Staff Officer, who took his place, came often to watch our practice, making on the last occasion a very encouraging, if somewhat bloodthirsty speech.  Through it all we enjoyed ourselves immensely.  For a change canteen stores were plentiful, and a generous supply of cigarettes, beer, and other luxuries, did much to raise our spirits.  The officers, too, had many pleasant evenings, and, on more than one occasion, the night was disturbed by the old familiar strains of “Come Landlord fill the flowing Bowl,” “John Peel,” and other classical ditties.

On the 6th of June we moved up to Lievin and took over the line from the 5th Sherwood Foresters.  For the first time the officers were clothed exactly as the men.  “D” Co. (Burnett) was in front, “A” Co. (Broughton) in support, and “B” and “C” (Wynne and Moore) in the row of houses just west of Riaumont Hill.  These had hardly settled down before a shell burst in the doorway of “C” Company Headquarters killing Serjeant Harper, the Lewis Gun N.C.O., and wounding six others, amongst them another Gunner, L/Cpl.  Morris.  At the same time 2nd Lieut.  A.L.  Macbeth had to go to Hospital with fever; Capt.  Wynne was also far from well, but refused to leave his Company on the eve of the attack.