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and an advance by them would have been more than welcome.

The mortars were laid on the wood and artillery called for to stand by to fire on the same target on call.

Time passed but the attack did not start. It seemed that the Germans were having to do a good bit of sorting out before they could begin. At 8 a.m. it was decided to make their decision for them and both mortars and guns were given the order to open fire on the wood. There was tremendous confusion in the wood, all watched with great interest by B Company, Germans ran in all directions, some of them coming out towards B Company only to be picked off by rifle fire.

About the same time enemy tanks were reported in the direction being watched by C Company but there were anti—tank guns suitably placed to deal with these if they came on. The tanks seemed as undecided as the infantry and moved about at long range, taking no offensive action. The artillery were called on to deal with them and they did so with great success, destroying two completely and making the others draw off.

One very annoying incident occurred when one large tank, which was closing in slowly, was being followed in the sights of a 17 pr gun. The gunner was rubbing his hands in anticipation of a certain kill and was just waiting for the best moment to fire when an amoured car arrived on a routine patrol of the village and also spotted the tank. The car immediately opened fire with its pathetic little 2 pr gun which had no effect on the tank except to make it take an interest in the area. The gunner decided to go on waiting but the decision cost him his life as the tank, after a short delay, sprayed the whole area with its machine guns. The burst, which was a long one, killed the gunner and all his crew.

While all this was happening the Germans facing B Company were showing no signs of attacking and, as there was a chance that they might slip back the way they had come, a proportion of the artillery was shifted onto a bend in the wood behind them. A Company were ordered to stand-by to go in and sort them out.

A slight difficulty arose at this stage because, although A Company moved right up to their start line and were all ready to go in by 10.30 a.m., it took a full half hour to stop the artillery from firing. Various extra batteries had been roped in and the gunners were having a grand time. The CO spent an irritating period on the wireless demanding that all artillery fire cease and eventually it was so. Liout Parrish was then ordered to take his company in and clear the wood,

The prisoners were a scruffy looking crowd and, surprisingly, did not include a single officer amongst them. There was however a sergeant major who, under interrogation, said that the force was a company and that he was in command of it. He added that none of his officers had taken part in the attack but had done all the planning; he also volunteered his own personal opinion of his officers, which was not a good one.

The wounded of A Company included that very game little officer Lieut MacDonald, who was hit seriously in the back and succumbed to his wounds after a terrific fight for life at the base hospital. The battalion was in the rest area when he died and. all ranks had been following anxiously the struggle for his life: His death came as a great shock as he had seemed to be rallying strongly.