Rev. W. Benton 225 



miss. We came straight out and did a four days' march here, 

 had twenty-four hours' rest, and are now doing eleven days' 

 intensive training for ' the attack.' After that nobody seems 

 to know what will happen. . . . 



" I am glad the sniping is going on so well in the north and 

 west. The more I see of it out here the more I am convinced 

 that in normal trench-warfare there is no better way of inflicting 

 punishment on the enemy, and preventing wastage in our own 

 ranks, than well-organised sniping, but it must be whole- 

 heartedly taken up or not at all. 



" In this Brigade we began a little doubtfully. They only 

 allowed eight per battalion for sniping and observation. Later 

 they allowed four more and later again another four, making 

 eight snipers and eight observers per battalion. Later I asked 

 again for four more snipers and got them, at the same time 

 propounding a scheme with coloured maps showing sniper- and 

 observation-posts in the zones of fire and observation, and 

 offered, if they would let me have four more men per battalion, 

 to keep the whole front watched and leave every other man 

 free for duty, work, or what not. It was granted, so we now 

 have one officer and twenty-four N.C.O.'s and men per bat- 

 talion. These we used half in the trenches for eight days and 

 half out. The half out practised shooting during the day on a 

 range we had made, and then came up at night for four hours to 

 build sniper- and observation-posts. The half in the trenches 

 kept watch and shot day and night. 



" Later on I hope to get the scouts for night work, patrols, 

 etc. Our bag at the finish was seventy-one men hit (including 

 three jaegers and five other snipers), forty-four plates smashed 

 or perforated, one hundred and twelve periscopes — these make 

 excellent practice for our men, and they came on wonderfully 

 and seldom missed one if it showed during the last couple of 

 weeks. 



" The trenches we took were in a pitiable state and a mere 

 death-trap. Wherever you went if you looked round you could 

 see the Boche lines looking right down into you. The com- 

 munication trenches were very little waved, and wide enough 

 to drive an eighteen horse-power along. The Brigade worked 

 marvellously. The men in rest only had twenty-four hours for 

 a night and a halt, and then up again. Three companies from 



Q 



