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TO BAPAUME 301
Service Corps detachments of the troops ahead. Fresh bodies
of troops were also detraining to march west.
We next proceed through a landscape characterised by
extensive shallow undulations. The road is perfectly straight,
stone-paved and lined with autumn-tinted or leaf-bared trees.
We meet several cyclist orderlies and pass a supply column
with its wagons covered with green branches.
When finally we reached Bapaume we had been three and a
half hours on the road, whereof three-quarters of an hour had
been taken up by stops on the way. One could scarcely cover
a distance of about one hundred English miles in a shorter
time—allowing for the slowing down in passing through towns
and villages.
We drove direct to the quarters of Captain Trutz, who had
charge of all matters concerning cars, petrol, quartering and
the like, and began by taking lunch with him—consisting of
bread and butter and ham, hard-boiled eggs and claret.
Then my excellent friend von Siemens took leave and sped
back to Brussels. Duke Adolf Friedrich was out, but was
expected back about five. I was advised in the meantime to
take up my quarters in some house near the Duke’s. A non-
commissioned officer was ordered to conduct me to the Maire
and I received from the latter a quartering ticket entitling me
to occupy a room just opposite the Duke’s quarters. The
French Maire was sitting in his office up to his eyes in work
and surrounded by big piles of papers. But he was very polite
and obliging, and no doubt consoled himself with the trite
reflection that " necessity knows no law."
I also had to report myself at the Base Commandant’s office,
where I was received, as always, with the greatest kindness.
But then came the Chief himself, an old Bavarian Colonel who
had retired from the service, but on the outbreak of the war
had rejoined. And now he began to storm. " Who the
thunder is this civilian ? " he roared
—" what business have
you here ? —where do you come from ? —are you a pressman ?
I shall want to know what you are here for, and whether you
have permission to stay here in Bapaume !
" I tried to con-
ciliate the irate Colonel by every imaginable means, but he
went on raging like a model drill-sergeant. A few days later
I met him again, and he then said :
" Can you ever forgive
me for being so rude the other day ? " " Yes, dear Colonel,
I assure you that it was a priceless pleasure to me to see a
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