General Haking, spoke to all officers of the Division in the Chateau courtyard, and told us some further details of the attack.  We were to be supported by the largest artillery concentration ever made by the British during the war up to that time, and there would be 400 guns covering the Divisional front.  Under their fire we need have no fear that any machine guns could possibly be left in “Mad Point,” “Madagascar,” or any of the other points due for bombardment.  At the same time he told us that if the wind were in the right direction we should be further assisted by the “auxiliary.”  In this case there would be an hour’s bombardment, followed by an hour’s “auxiliary,” during which time the guns would have to be silent because High Explosive was apt to disperse chlorine gas.  At the end of the second hour we should advance and find the occupants all dead.  Attacks at dawn and dusk had become very common lately and seemed to be expected by the Boche; we would therefore attack at 2 p.m.

During the next two days we spent most of our time throwing Mills grenades, and certainly found them a very handy weapon, which could be thrown much further than our previous patterns.  We also had to make several eleventh hour changes in personnel, Major Bland and Lieut.  Allen were both compelled by sickness to go to Hospital—­the former to England.  It was exceptionally bad luck for both, to endure the routine of six months’ trenches and training and then have to leave their unit on the eve of its first great fight, in which both these officers were so keen to take part.  In their places Lieut.  Hills was appointed to “D” Company, but as he was taken by General Kemp for Intelligence Work, 2nd Lieut.  G.B.  Williams took command.  No one was appointed Adjutant, and Colonel Jones decided that as officers were scarce he and Major Toller would between them share the work at Battalion Headquarters.  Two new officers also arrived and were posted, 2nd Lieut.  G.T.  Shipston to “C” and 2nd Lieut.  L. Trevor Jones to “D” Company.

On the 12th, after some last words of advice from Colonel Jones, who addressed the Battalion, we set off to march to trenches, wearing what afterwards became known as “Fighting Order,” with great coats rolled and strapped to our backs.  The Brigade band accompanied us through Verquin, and a Staffordshire band played us into Sailly Labourse, where General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley watched us turn on to the main road.  There was an hour’s halt for teas between here and Noyelles, and finally at 10-5 p.m. we marched into Vermelles.  The next eight hours were bad, for it took eight hours to reach our assembly position, the third line—­eight hours standing in hopelessly congested communication trenches, waiting to move forward.  For men heavily laden—­each carried six sandbags and every third man a shovel—­this delay was very tiring, for it meant continuous standing with no room to rest, and resulted in our arriving in the line tired out, to find that it was already time to have breakfasts.  The Reserve Line was full of troops, but it was found possible to give all a hot breakfast, and many managed to snatch a couple of hours’ sleep before the bombardment opened at 12 noon.