" Before I had come up I had spoken to the last Officer, so knew roughtly how my trenches went and where to put my support (one platoon) and my firing line (one platoon), and I did not have much difficulty in ascertaining my position, with my right over a large main road, which we had previously been on but had had to leave so as to make a détour. On our right flank were the Frenchmen, to whom I had been told to be friendly.
I think you should here get out my rough sketch map. I had my platoons along AB and CD. We had other troops at E and G to I. The french were across the road and had captured the mill the day we came up.
As soon as I had my men out I went along CD under the road and so into the French trenches. They wanted me to see the mill, so along there I went as there was not much firing. At about point X a tremendous burst of rapid firing commenced, and I was really scared out of my life. Here was I in a French trench, away from my post, and for all the row going on, a German attack was being made! I have a vivid recollection of that moment , of the Frenchmen wildly gesticulating, popping up to hte parapet, down again to reload, up again, and firing all the time to the skies. There was an awful rattle and flashing, so I clutched my guide, told him this was not good enough, and hurried back in case this was a proper attack. On getting back I found all had quietened down; such outbursts are common with jumpy Frenchmen and our new soldiers. But I had had such a fright - I wasn't going to those French trenches for some time."
On Tom's map, East is upwards and North to the left. The village of Cuinchy is off the bottom left corner. Tom's map stands comparison with the trench maps made available by the National Library of Scotland.
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