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Chapter XXXIII.

On the following day, both 1st and 2nd Battalions moved right back to a rest area. Heavy rain had fallen overnight; but the day was fine with a cold wind. An early start was made reveille being at 4 a.m. A hot breakfast was provided and both battalions moved off to entrain. The 1st Battalion entrained near the Asylum, Ypres, and proceeded to Wizernes, finally marching to billets at Seninghem and Affrinques, with headquarters at Seninghem. There had been a long wait for the train at Ypres, with the result that billets were not reached until after dark. Considering their condition, the men stood the march at the end of the journey very well.

The 2nd Battalion marched to Dickebusch to entrain, passing Ypres station at 6.15 a.m. At Diekebusch, we entrained in an empty supply train and moved off at a quarterpast nine, detraining opposite our billetting area at Bayinghem at half-past three in the afternoon, had then barely a quarter of a mile's march to billets.

The 3rd Battalion had already moved back to the rest area, for after being relieved near Spree Farm by the Canadian on the 21st October, it had, the following day, marched from St. Jean some seven miles to Dickebusch and entrained there for Nielles. A start had been made that morning from St. Jean at 6 o'clock, and Nielles was not reached till 4 o'clock in the afternoon. However, at Nielles a very welcome cup of tea was supplied by the Y.M.C.A., which fortified us for another seven mile march to our billets at Bouvelinghem, where we arrived at half-past nine that night very tired and footsore.

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All three battalions now rested and re-organised. There was a good deal or sickness; but no serious illness. The "B" teams returned from Morbecque, and a large number of reinforcements came up from the base.

While at Bayinghem, Ruahine Company (2nd Battalion), had a company dinner, which proved a great success. Capt. M. Urquhart, who had for some time commanded that company, was shortly to return to New Zealand on duty and was to take leave of his company at Escouilles a few days later.

On Sunday the 4th November about three kilometres from Bouvelinghem, the three battalions had a combined Church Parade.

On the 8th, the 4th Brigade paraded at Bouvelinghem and the Commander, Brig.-General Hart, D.S.O., presented ribands to those N.C.O.'s and men who had been awarded medals for gallantry in the recent fighting.

The 1st Battalion remained at Seninghem until the 9th November, when it marched to Henneveux, going into rather crowded billets there. There was now a sort of general post, for, on the same day, the 2nd Battalion moved to Alinethun area and took over from the 2nd Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, billetting as follows: Wellington-West Coast Company and Ruahine Company at Escouilles, Hawkes Bay Company at Serqnes, Taranaki Company at Le Plouy. Training was gone on with as before, although interfered with a good deal by unsettled weather. There was a good deal of football too.

On the 13th, a parade was held at Henneveux, where Brigadier-General Melvill, Commander of the 1st Brigade, presented ribands to those N.C.O.'s and men of the First Brigade who had recently been awarded medals for gallantry.

On the 14th, the 1st Battalion marched back to their old billets in Seninghem and Affrinques, while the 2nd Battalion marched back to Bayinghem, the billets there having been vacated by the Rifle Brigade, staging forward. Unfortunately, the motor transport which was being provided for this move, let us down badly, with the result that neither battalion had blankets that night, and a very cold night it was too, to our very ill content.