Not until the
last man had been carried safely off did he leave this place, and then
he collected various stragglers and marched them up as a platoon to join
their own units! This, and his continuous plucky and considerate work in
tending bodily as well as spiritual needs during the next few days
obtained for him a well-earned M.C.
The night of the 25th-26th was even more strenuous than the previous
one. About 11.30 p.m. the withdrawal commenced, and was very skilfully
carried out, so skilfully, in fact, that the German battle outposts
could be heard firing intermittently for hours after our troops had
retired. After steady plugging, man-handling everything, we reached a
system of admirably prepared trenches north of Logeast Wood. The pioneer
battalion 7th Northumberland Fusiliers, who had come to the division in
February, had been working upon them all day, and, excellently sited as
they were, they inspired everyone with a great feeling of confidence.
Men took a lively interest in their posts, and after a considerable
amount of organisation sentries were mounted and the battalion settled
down for a rest until the enemy should arrive. It was now 3 a.m. At this
hour it so happened that the division had received another urgent order
to fall back still further. Staff officers made their way on foot
through the congested roads behind the front and searched dimly for the
various brigades, a most uncertain task in view of the rapidity of
events.
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