well message from
General Rawlinson._

The Battalion moved off from Germaine at midnight on April 1st, 1917,
and proceeded by Companies at 200 yard intervals cross country to
Fluquieres. Arriving there they passed through the village, a pile of
smouldering ruins, and on the main St. Quentin road and about half a
mile along it they reached Roupy with its destroyed cross-roads and
proceeded towards a point near Savy where the Battalion deployed, and
attacking at 5 a.m. moved forward, overcame the opposition and took
Savy. In the village the Bosche put up a desperate stand and some
fierce fighting took place before they were pushed beyond the railway
bank north of the village. Most of the fighting took place in the
neighbourhood of an orchard at the southern end of the village, and
here the 11th Border Regiment joined forces in helping to drive out
the stubborn enemy. Once through the village serious destruction was
caused by heavy machine gun fire from an enemy strong point in a mine
crater. With the aid of two Lewis guns, the crater was soon in the
hands of the 17th and a heavy fire directed on the retreating enemy.
Thereafter the Battalion started to dig in (about 6.30 a.m.), and soon
consolidated their gains, although subject to strong artillery,
machine gun and sniping fire. In the afternoon a further attack was
made by the 96th Brigade, and before evening Bois-de-Savy was in their
hands. The Battalion was relieved in the evening and moved off to take
up quarters in dug-outs on the Fluquieres-Douchy Road, but the place
had been so badly knocked about that a large portion of the unit
bivouacked.

The total casualties in this day's fighting was 103, 31 of whom were
killed. During the following week the Battalion suffered from the
severe winter conditions, coupled with incessant shelling and had much
to do strengthening their positions. On the 9th some magnificent
patrolling was done, for which the Battalion was deservedly
congratulated. In the afternoon of that day four patrols set out to
gain information of Fayet and the ground between Francilly and St.
Quentin. One patrol went to the ridge overlooking St. Quentin, one
went into a German trench near Fayet, one went within 300 yards of
Fayet, and the fourth reconnoitred the southern approaches of the
village--and much valuable information was accordingly gained.

On the 12th April, Major Lumsden, V.C., D.S.O., who was in temporary
command of the Battalion, rel