Reference: N/A 3rd Field Squadron R.E., 3rd Cav Div: 12th - 14th May 1915 War Diary or Intelligence Summary Hour, date, Place Summery of Events and Information Remarks and references to Appendices May 12th 3rd Cav Div ordered to hold trenches from HOOGE ********** ******* railway. I had this line reconnoitred by daylight by myself and by regimental officer of the Division. At the last moment V Corps ordered 3rd Cav Div to hold from BELLEWAARDE LAKE up to YPRES - VERLONERHOEK ROAD, consequently the ground to North of railway has not been reconnoitred by daylight either by R.E. or by regimental officers. this order, unless absolutely ******* for some reason not apparent to 3rd Cav Div, appears to have been a very grave error and was undoubtedly responsible for a portion of the very severe casualties sustained by the Division the following morning.      Furthermore, the 3rd Field Squadron was ordered to continue late this night on the YPRES serpent line of trenches, this depriving the 3rd Cav Div of the use of their own R.E. at a critical juncture.      By this night I took my two sergeants and 4 other ranks [without orders] and assisted 6th Cav Bde to construct 1. Communications trenches to rear ***** N of BELLEWAARDE FARM and 2. A loop behind a portion of their front trench.      7 Cav Bde who took over from railway North to road apparently had no R.E. assistance although pre-ordered by V Corps.      3rd Cav Div very heavily shelled shortly after ****** and troops forced to evacuate trenches between railway and YPRES _ VERLORENHOEK ROAD falling back to parallel track about 800 yards west.      Reported to POTIJIE CHATEAU at 8:00pm and Maj.Gen. Briggs instructed me to cooperate with Northumbrian Fusiliers ***** R.E. [Major Pollard DSO] and employ 800 men of D.L.I. and establish best possible line of trenches between railway and VERLONERHOEK ROAD. There was some delay in collecting the working parties and tools, but we succeeded in digging a rough line of trenches as required.