Continuing the diary of John Sangway, dispatch rider with XVII Corps. The corps signal company moved to a new base, at Fosseux, 9 miles west of Arras, on 24^th August. The wiring sections of the company had spent the last few days connecting up a new corps HQ at Noyelle-Vion, only to have that move cancelled at the last minute and they instead relieved VI Corps and moved to Fosseux.

Plenty of hard work. O[perations] R[oom] Clerk worried to death! Squared maps all over the desk & on the seat (not forgetting the floor). Every one of the thousand & one new units has to be dug out separately. Specials galore. Wouldn’t mind so much if we had a decent billet, but we have been sadly neglected. Our billet, mess, cookhouse & workshop is one roofless & wallless skeleton of a small barn! Too dirty to walk into so we use the open air & bivvy’s. It rained hard last night & where was the quinine?

Never mind, we’re winning like mad now. Told you so all along! My idea of what would happen when we slammed with all our men instead of drifting back with half of ‘em was fairly accurate even to the date. I must take courage in my prophecy.