orders were issued, and at dead of night, December 4-5,
the Battalion retired through Graincourt to Hermies. To cover the
retirement two sections per company were left in the line with orders
not to retire until just before dawn, and to spend the night in moving
up and down the vacated line, firing Verey-lights and rifles to delude
the enemy into thinking the line was still held.

By this ruse the Battalion was enabled to carry out the difficult
operation of withdrawing in the face of the enemy without his
knowledge. The sections so left behind gallantly carried out their
tasks and safely rejoined the Battalion at Hermies.

From December 5 the Battalion was in support, but on the 11th it
relieved the 21st Londons in the Hindenburg Line, and, after relief,
marched on December 20 to Gropi Camp, where Christmas was spent in
tents in the snow. In reserve until the 30th, it then relieved the
22nd Royal Fusiliers in the left canal sector (Canal du Nord) of the
Hindenburg Line.

1918.

On January 3 the Battalion, relieved, marched independently by
companies to Barastre for Divisional rest. January 23 found them at
Villers Plouich in the Vacquerie right sub-sector, the Battalion
headquarters being in Farm Ravine. On February 3 they entrained on the
light railway for Equancourt, where they were placed in Divisional
reserve. Not much time was spent in this way, though, for on the 9th
the Battalion entrained for Trescault, and proceeded from there to the
Vacquerie right sub-sector, remaining in the line there until going
into reserve at Equancourt again on the 15th.

On February 22 a move was made to the line again in the Vacquerie
right sub-sector. On the night of March 6-7 the Battalion was
relieved, and marched to Metz, where they were billeted in huts. It
was impossible, however, to secure any real rest here, for the camp
was shelled intermittently both during the day and the night.

The afternoon of March 12 saw the Battalion back in the trenches
again at Lincoln Reserve and Midland Reserve, "D" Company being in
Snap Trench. There was a heavy gas-shell bombardment by the enemy on
the nights of the 12th, 13th, and 14th, the Battalion suffering heavy
casualties, also intermittent shelling during the day and night, while
there was, as a welcome change, a raid on the enemy front line by the
Battalion on the night of March 13-14. Then came the relief of the
Battalion, which marched back to Equancourt, a rest for the Batta