Apart from a bit of gratified conceit, I did realise that it was going to be not like, but much worse than, the battles of Ypres, because the odds were much greater against us. I felt sure that the Germans would make a strong effort when the time came. Well, on the evening of the 20th of March I went to the billets to spend the night there and wait for the orders to go forward. We knew the attack was coming the next day. I felt awful. There were no other officers of the battery in the billet. I was entirely by myself, and was trying to face up to what I knew was going to be a very unpleasant morning and probably my last. At first I played the gramophone. In those days I had a young man’s taste for rather lush music, and played Puccini. Then I went to bed. At 4.45 the telephone went, and a voice said, ‘Orders to man battle stations.’ << less