On Wednesday evening, February the 24th, the men were marched off to the trenches for the first time and I went with a company of the 15th Battalion, who were to be attached to the Durham Light Infantry.

I was warned to keep myself in the background as it was said that the chaplains were not allowed in the front line.

The trenches were at Houplines to the east of Armentieres.

We marched down the streets till we came to the edge of the town and there a guide met us and we went in single file across the field.

We could see the German flare-lights and could hear the crack of rifles.