It must have been about midnight when I started with the Major, and another officer.

The night was dark and it was rather a scramble, but the German flare lights would go up now and then and show us our course.

Suddenly a machine gun opened up, and we had to lie on our faces listening to the swish of the flying bullets just overhead.

I turned to the officer next to me and asked him how long he had been at the front.

He said he had only arrived that afternoon at four o' clock.