As a gallant
leader and commander his name stands high in the records of the
battalion.
It was by no means certain that the enemy would not open out with
another onslaught on this front, for he was making desperate efforts to
reach Amiens further south, and a break through here would make his task
much easier. With the assistance of Chinese labour lines of trenches had
been dug, and they were speedily wired in by batches of Royal Engineers
and Labour Corps. The first system to be defended if the front line
collapsed was called the Purple Line. Behind that was the Red Line,
while further back still was the Brown Line, protecting Doullens. It was
here during these troubled days that the historic meeting took place
between Sir Douglas Haig and Marshal Foch, when the latter took over
supreme command. As well as regaining lost energy the 42nd division had
to be responsible for a portion of the Red Line in the event of a break
through, so at various times parties of officers and N.C.O's. made trips
to it for reconnaisance purposes, and schemes were evolved for the
possible disposition of companies and the siting of L.G. posts, etc.,
under the leadership of Major Higham, now commanding the battalion.
After a week at Louvencourt we moved up into the line again, the
division relieving the 37th division in the Hebuterne and Rossignol Wood
sector. No one was sorry to get into a fresh part of the line. We felt
that we did not wish to see the Bucquoy-Ablainzevelle road again! For
some time now the 42nd had been one of the divisions of the IV.
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