impossible, and so the men
were at liberty. Preparations were eagerly pushed forward for a New
Year Feast, and on the 3rd, in spite of provisioning difficulties,
very complete arrangements had been successfully made considering the
length of time available for providing the men with a seasonable
repast on that evening. The Companies sat down to a feast of roast
pork--which only a few hours before had been a live pig. There was
soup, haggis, plum pudding, apple dumpling, cake, cigarettes, and
copious supplies of beer. The Commanding Officer, accompanied by Major
G.R.S. Paterson, and the Adjutant, visited each Company in turn to
wish them the Compliments of the Season, and the night finished with
song and story.

Work and training was resumed again in earnest the next day as far as
the weather conditions would permit. On the 9th of January the
Battalion moved off, embussing for the forward area to operate on the
II. Corps Line. After a cold journey in a heavy snowstorm, they
arrived at Murat Camp late at night and came under the command of the
35th Division. They found the camp in very bad order and set about
putting it right, meanwhile working parties were carrying on under the
C.R.E. of the Division. Splendid work was carried out by the Battalion
during this period, despite snowstorms and blizzards, and high praise
was given to the unit by the Corps Commander. All the Royal Engineer
Officers connected with the work declared they had never had better
nor keener infantry parties.

On the 16th Major Morton assumed command of the Battalion during the
absence of Lieut.-Colonel Inglis on leave; and on the 18th Major
Morton was ordered to hospital and Major Paterson took over.

_The Battalion Intelligence News Sheet_, inaugurated to keep all ranks
fully informed of the principal events of the day as regards the war,
was circulated, but it could not hope to oust _The Outpost_ as the
real news vehicle of the 17th.

On the 25th of January the Battalion left Murat Camp for a camp near
Woeston and came under the command of the 1st Division, and on the
27th the Battalion relieved the 10th Gloucesters in reserve in the Het
Sas Sector, and carried on improving the line until the 31st of
January--when the blow fell and hopes were dashed to the ground. While
in Brigade Support at Houthust Forest Sector, Major Paterson was sent
for by Brigadier-General C.A. Blacklock, who informed him that the
re-organisation of the Army necessitat