1921.] Agriculture Behind the Lines. 



687 



The tractors used were of five types. " Moguls " of three 

 different horse powers, the " Emerson " and the " AUis- 

 Chahners." They were equipped with three-furrow self-hft 

 ploughs of the " Oliver " and " International Harvester " types. 

 Two driv^ers were allotted to each tractor, as they became 

 trained, in order that each machine might be kept working at its 

 maximum capacity. All tractors were filled with petrol and oil 

 over night, so that no delay might occur in starting up next 

 morning. 



Cultivation of the land other than by ploughing was carried out 

 with convalescent veterinary base horses which, in many cases, 

 had been blinded by gas and were only of value for comparatively 

 light work on the land. 



It was on these lines that work went forward until 21st March ^ 

 and on that date the great German offensive opened. 



It is hardly within the scope of this article to discuss this offen- 

 sive from the military point of view. In selecting the Eoye area 

 as the scene for agricultural operations, it had been contem- 

 plated that it was sufficiently in the rear of the battle zone to 

 render it improbable that the agricultural operations would have 

 been interfered with by a temporary military success on the 

 part of the enemy. It would be idle to argue here whether 

 such optimism was justified. 



There was no time for regret and the officers of the Directorate 

 realised that their first task was to clear the area of all the 

 machinery that had been collected, not only to prevent it from 

 falling into the hands of the enemy, but still more important, to 

 prevent it from encumbering the roads behind the retreating 

 army. The saving of practically everything intact was certainly 

 a gilded page in the history of this short-lived enterprise. 



Communication with G.H.Q. from the Directorate Head- 

 quarters was somewhat difficult as all the lines were choked with 

 more urgent messages. One message, however, was got through 

 from G.H.Q. on the telephone, ordering the Directorate to move. 

 From that point onwards operations were in the hands of the 

 Directorate. 



Orders were given for all tractors and personnel north-east of 

 Eoye, viz., on the side nearest the approaching enemy, to con- 

 centrate on Eoye itself. All other personnel and tractors were 

 ordered to concentrate in the vicinity of the main Eove-Noyon 

 road, with a view to withdrawal south and west. On the 24th 

 March, the general withdrawal started, all tractors proceeding- 

 under their own power and all ploughs, rollers and other imple- 

 ments being towed behind horse transport. 



