en killed or
wounded in that day's fighting. On the 21st of November General Gough,
G.O.C. Fifth Army, inspected and congratulated the Battalion, and
spoke to many of the N.C.O.s and men individually. During December the
unit carried on training at Franqueville and Rubempre, and that the
spirit of the men was not broken by the severity of their recent
experiences is shown by the number of football matches played during
the period. On Christmas Day, 1916, the officers beat the sergeants at
Rugby by 11 points to 0; in the afternoon "B" Company beat
Headquarters at Association by 4 goals to 0; and in the evening the
Battalion held a cheery concert. The Christmas Dinners were reserved
for the 30th, and on Hogmanay the New Year was welcomed with a
concert. General Gough attended Battalion Church Parade on the first
Sunday of the New Year.

THE NEW YEAR, 1917.

_Bad weather--Courcelles--trench labours--varied
moves--beginning of Spring Offensive--attack by the French--the
advance--Nesle--condition of inhabitants--great digging work at
Germaine._

The opening months of the New Year were months of battling not only
against a human enemy, but against the elements and the bad conditions
which they created. The winter of 1916 had been a severe one, and in
passing into 1917 it continued its course with unabated severity. The
Battalion left Rubempre on January 6th and partly by motor lorry and
partly in column of route proceeded to Courcelles where, on the
following day, they relieved the troops of the 3rd Division in the
trenches opposite Serre. The weather was bad, the enemy kept up brisk
attentions and the trenches were the worst which the Battalion had
ever been in. Most of them were absolutely impassable, being full of
water to a height of five feet, with the result that reliefs had for
the most part to be made outside the trenches. Owing to this condition
of matters, strict orders were issued for the prevention of "trench
feet," but notwithstanding every precaution, several cases occurred.

Heavy and continuous work was put in mending and bettering the
trenches, training the drafts which were arriving, performing tactical
exercises and battalion routine affairs. By this time several
ceremonies had taken place at which decorations were bestowed upon
N.C.O.s and men for bravery in the Field and gallantry in action.
Esprit de corps was stronger than ever, and the tediousness of trench
labours was rel