Landing on the belfry of an ancient cathedral in the town square, he rested for the night. At daybreak, he proceeded to prepare for winter, and constructed a nest close to the spire of the steeple, a task that took most of the day. He found nestling materials in small shrubs, and twigs in the underbrush. He stored food deep inside his nest, a trick he had learned from Homer. Still haunted by the ravages of war, he left a small opening in the side of the nest that would allow him to keep vigil. Clovis paused at the edge of the tower as hundreds of new troops were being transported over the muddy flatlands toward the battlefield of Ypres (Leper), singing songs of their homeland. The City Hall in Veurne was used for Belgian headquarters, and a military hospital had been set up nearby for wounded soldiers. Other countries had joined the allies, carrying flags from far away countries as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa to support their mother country of England. Army trucks were making runs back and forth across the battlefield, taking new recruits, and returning with wounded soldiers.
