804 



Agriculture Behind the Lines. 



[Dec.,. 



stocked and dried. Seventeen men with scythes cut the six acres 

 in three hours — a record that it would be difficult to surpass 

 even by day, let alone under similar conditions. 



It was only the devotion to duty displayed by the harvesters 

 on occasions like those referred to that enabled so much work 

 to be done. 



Early in August the great offensive began on the Amiens 

 front, and as the advance progressed, the acreage to be harvested 

 increased, with the result that work was continued until late- 

 September. The wheat clung to the ear in a remarkable way, 

 and the dry weather in October helped to dry the newly-cut 

 stooks. 



The total acreage harvested in Army Areas with the small 

 personnel at the disposal of the Directorate amounted to over 

 18,000 acres. The whole of the harvest in this area was stacked, 

 thatched and, with the exception of a few stacks, eventually 

 threshed by British labour. 



Before leaving this subject, attention is directed to one of the 

 illustrations accompanying this paper (Fig. 3), which shows the 

 actual harvesting operations in progress round a British G-in. 

 howitzer located in its actual battle position behind the British 

 lines, and therefore liable to be in action at any moment. 



The nature of the great British offensive was such as to inspire 

 the feeling that as the Germans were cleared out of the occupied 

 territory, they were being cleared out for the last time. Conse- 

 quently the way was soon opened for the establishment of 

 another G.H.Q. farm on the lines of that described in the first 

 part of this paper. At the opening of their offensive, the Allies, 

 as is now common knowledge, were inferior in numbers to the 

 enemy, the possibility of another winter in the field had to» 

 be reckoned with, and it was desirable that every comfort should 

 be provided for the troops during this period. All this tended to 

 hasten the Authorities at G.H.Q. in their decision as to a new 

 undertaking. 



During August careful inspections were made with a view to 

 the selection of a suitable area which could be cultivated with 

 the least interference from the French civilian population. There 

 were many considerations to be taken into account, such as 

 transport facilities, access to supply dumps, and a plentiful 

 supply of water. There were areas in the Department of the 

 Pas-de-Calais which presented many advantages, but few sites 

 possessed such unique features as the site ultimately selected, 

 namely, the triangular plateau lying in the fork of the rivers 



