806 



Agriculture Behind the Lines. 



[Dec, 



continued to retain their headquarters at this point, where a 

 large vegetable garden had been established, partly for 

 experimental purposes, but an advance headquarters was opened 

 early in October in one of the wrecked houses in the square at 

 Corbie, which, as indicated above, lay at the junction of the 

 Somme and the Ancre, at the foot of the hill leading to the 

 plateau. 



The area was at once divided into some 9 blocks, each con- 

 sisting of about 2,000 acres, each in charge of a block commander, 

 who, as a farmer, was responsible for its cultivation. Two of the 

 original agricultural companies were collected and assigned to 

 the work and were reinforced later by at least half of a third 

 company. These companies were distributed over the 9 blocks, 

 so as to ensure that there was a nucleus on each. Their head- 

 quarters were located at two dumps situated at suitable distances 

 along the main Corbie-Bray road, which practically bisected the 

 whole area. From these two dumps the block commanders drew 

 all their stores and supplies. 



Two Auxiliary (Petrol) Companies (Agricultural) were also 

 allocated and from these were drawn the drivers and mechanics 

 required to deal with the machinery which had been railed up 

 from Kouen. The headquarters of each of these companies 

 was located within a reasonable distance of the railhead, touch 

 being maintained between these companies and the different 

 blocks by motor transport. Apart from agricultural machinery, 

 280 horses were available and a large quantity of agricultural 

 implements had been salved from the French villages. 



The housing for the necessary personnel had to be specially 

 constructed. By this time the British Army advance had 

 penetrated far into the area hitherto occupied by the enemy. 

 The British farm at Corbie was, therefore, one of the only large 

 installations between the base depots and the advancing army. 

 The length of the lines of communication was therefore very 

 considerable, and every effort had to be made to obviate the 

 sending on from the base of heavy stores like huts, except for the 

 use of the advancing troops. Fortunately, the area selected for 

 cultivation contained stores of every kind. 



Here was a derelict aerodrome with the canvas of the hangars 

 flapping in the breeze; here was a stranded tank; here an 

 ammunition dump containing shell of any size up to 9-in. or 

 more. Here again were huge collections of empty ammunition 

 boxes. 



The construction therefore of suitable hutments both for men and 



