. The story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry . Forest, on the other side ofit hue and cry were being raised after the enemy,whose tail was well turned in his last retreat. TheLys salient, which had proved so useless to him, wasbeing evacuated. On the evening of August 20,1918, the Battalion was ordered forward fromSpresiano Camp to occupy the old trenches nearChapelle Boom, a quaint moated farmhouse on theeastern outskirts of the forest. We found the areaalready overstocked with troops; indeed ChapelleBoom itself, though assigned to us, was the head-quarters of not l
. The story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry . Forest, on the other side ofit hue and cry were being raised after the enemy,whose tail was well turned in his last retreat. TheLys salient, which had proved so useless to him, wasbeing evacuated. On the evening of August 20,1918, the Battalion was ordered forward fromSpresiano Camp to occupy the old trenches nearChapelle Boom, a quaint moated farmhouse on theeastern outskirts of the forest. We found the areaalready overstocked with troops; indeed ChapelleBoom itself, though assigned to us, was the head-quarters of not less than two units of the 183rdInfantry Brigade. The arrival of the Battalion^loaded as it was with the encumbrances of advance,further contributed to the congestion. In a few LAST BATTLES, AUGUST DECEMBER, I918. 200. days the Suffolks and Northumberland Fusilierssuddenly disappeared, and Chapelle Boom fell intoour power. There we stayed until the Colonel wentupon a course. As usually when the Germans genuinely retired,to use their own phrase, according to plan, early. immunity from shells preluded days when the lastspite of their artillery was flung as far as fire against our exits from Nieppe Forestwas cleverly manipulated by the enemy. Our guns,which had the choice of few orchards or buildingsto screen their flashes, were vigorously searched forwhen they opened fire. Bonar Farm, Dene Farm,Rennet Farm—places of ill name during the fight- 2IO LAST BATTLES, AUGUST DECEMBER, 1918. ing for the Plate Becque—were freely the explosion of a chance Ellis and severalmen in D Company were casualties. Whilst inreserve we bathed in the river and for a timeresumed our harvesting pursuits. The method be-came more unique and amateur than ever—wewere directed to pluck the ripe ears of corn by laid down the standard task of one sandbag-fullper day per man. Some men used nail-scissors,and it was found that a one hour day was ampleto ensure a good
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