al Rifle Corps in
German front line. Companies still in support of 1st King's
Royal Rifle Corps and 1st Royal Berks.

November 16.--Battalion at 1 a.m. moved back to Ellis Square.

November 17.--Battalion moved to billets in Mailly-Maillet.

November 18.--Battalion moved to billets at Sarton.

November 19.--Battalion marched to billets at Gezancourt.

November 20.--Battalion in billets at Gezancourt.

November 21.--Battalion marched to billets at Candas.

November 22.--Battalion in billets at Candas.

November 23.--Battalion marched to billets at Domqueur.

November 24.--Battalion marched to billets at Gapennes.

November 25.--Battalion marched to billets at Millencourt.

November 26.--Battalion in billets at Millencourt.

November 27.--Battalion marched to billets at Oneux.

November 28-29-30.--Battalion in billets at Oneux.

The following month, December, the Battalion also spent in rest at
Oneux.

1917.

On January 9 a move was made from Oneux to Candas, to Beauquesne on
the 11th, to Bouzincourt on the 13th, and to Aveluy on the 20th. From
there it went into the trenches at Courcelette, "A" and "C" Companies
being in the front line, and "B" and "D" in support.

On February 1 the Battalion moved from Courcelette to Ovillers Huts,
and on the 5th went on to Senlis, moving to Wolfe Huts on the 15th,
and into the line for operations a day later.

Intense cold was experienced at this time. The ground, like iron, was
covered with snow. The frost was intense, one man being actually
frozen stiff at his post on sentry, and drinking water carried to the
front line arrived as lumps of ice, from which bits were chipped for
eating.

An attack on the German trenches was made on February 17. Unluckily a
day before the attack the frost gave way, a very rapid thaw set in,
making No Man's Land deep and heavy with slush and mud. Moving to the
attack over such ground was terrible; the objective line was reached,
but the following casualties were sustained:

Officers killed 8
" wounded 4
" missing 1
---
13

Other ranks killed 30
" wounded 165
" missing 32
---
227

The Battalion held the Red Line on February 18, and in the night was
reli