and became Battalion Intelligence Officer, a post now started for the
first time. At the same time four new officers arrived--2nd Lieuts. G.
Selwyn and W. Ashwell to "A" Company, 2nd Lieut. A.N. Bloor to "B," and
2nd Lieut. V.J. Jones to "D." C.S.M. Gilding and Serjt. Brodribb both
left us to be trained as officers, and their places were taken by
C.Q.M.S. Johnson who became C.S.M. of "C" Company, and Corpl. Roberts
who took charge of the Transport. The latter was still under the special
care of Capt. Burnett, although he had all the Transport of the Brigade
to look after.

Our first tour ended on the 25th, when, after 12 days' mud and frost, we
were relieved by the 4th Lincolnshires, and came back to billets in the
Rue des Chavattes, not far from Lacouture, where Stores and Transport
remained throughout this time. Our casualties had not been very heavy,
and we lost more through the weather conditions than at the hands of
the enemy, for Capt. Fowler and several N.C.O.'s and men, unable to
stand the exposure, had to be sent to Hospital. Our billeting area
included several keeps or strong points--L'Epinette, le Touret, and
others--for which we found caretakers, little thinking, as we stocked
them with reserve rations, that the Boche would eventually eat our
"Bully," and it would fall to our lot in three years time to drive him
from these very positions. The day after relief, the Brigadier went on
leave, and Col. Jones took his place at Brigade Headquarters--"Cense du
Raux" Farm--somewhat to the annoyance of one or two of the other
Commanding Officers, who, though junior to the Colonel, were all
"Regular Time-serving Soldiers."

Up to this time our covering Artillery had belonged to another (New
Army) Division, but now our own Gunners took over the line, making it
more than ever certain that we were to spend the whole winter in these