It was always a pleasure to start climbing Cassel Hill, past the seven windmills and up to the little town perched on the summit.
Cassel is a picturesque little spot, with its glazed tiles and sprinkling of Spanish buildings, and the view from it is marvellous.
On a clear day one could see practically the whole line from Nieuport to Armentieres and the coast from Nieuport to Boulogne.

At that time, the 2nd Army H.Q.were in the one-time casino, which was the summit of the town, and from its roof one got a clear view all round.

Cassel was to the Ypres Salient what Amiens was to the Somme, and the little "Hotel Sauvage" stood for the "Godbert," the "Cathedral" and "Charlie's Bar" all in one.

The dining-room, with its long row of windows showing the wonderful view, like the Rubens landscape in the National Gallery, was packed every night for the most part with fighting boys from the Salient, who had come in for a couple of hours to eat, drink, play the piano and sing, forgetting their misery and (p.

032) discomfort for the moment.