With the Serbs in Macedonia

ACTIVE SERVICE 67
operation on a Balkan pass. The situation was
desperate and called for corresponding measures.
When the vans stuck, the petrol that remained
in their tanks was drained off into tins, the
wounded passengers were divided among the
rest— a terrible job with lying-down cases—
and the stranded vans and drivers left by the
roadside till petrol could be sent out to them.
The surface at that time was ; appalling and,
moreover, the road was jammed with French
artillery and horse transport. What with one
thing and another, we shall not soon forget
that journey, or that if guide, he did *'
find '*
two chickens somewhere and present them to
the officers. Incidentally it may be observed
that these two chickens mysteriously disap-
peared in the end. We never ate them.
Two days later we received orders to shift
camp at daybreak. Everything was packed up,
and we were all ready to move off when the
order, as usual, was cancelled. We stood by,
cursing the Army way all day, and finally were
ordered to proceed. So we started at 4.30 in the
afternoon and had another tussle with the sand.
Thank goodness that was the last we ever had
to do with it ; but that day it nearly bested us.
Still, as usual, we got through in the end, and
then found ourselves face to face with the
steepest hill in the district. That meant another