human
C
gpt
C and
human
D Companies in front with
gpt
A and
human
B in reserve. The next week we went into support with
gpt
D Company, and
human
A and
gpt
B took our place in front. This time we were not attached to a regular Battalion for training, but took over part of the line ourselves. Our period in the trenches was uneventful, it was a quiet part of the line, and the trenches were deep and well made. This time we gave the Bosche 500 to every 50 of theirs, so all taken into consideration we were lucky. The weather, however, was by no means favourable, the trenches being full of slush and water. A heavy fall of snow also made the ground in a bad condition, and the men suffered greatly from the cold, which was intense. Several new Officers joined our Battalion about this time, for which we were very thankful, as leave was able to proceed without difficulty, two Officers being sent each week. On February 29 our first death occurred, poor young Watt of No. 12 platoon. He was killed by a shell while standing outside the door of his billet in Mesnil, and buried in Mesnil Ridge Cemetery. From this time on we went into the trenches by Battalions, alternately with the Downs (13th Royal Irish Rifles). Our casualties were not great, but always a few, the expected result of trench warfare. Indeed, if it had not been for a tot of rum at
human
on those very cold mornings, I feel sure there would have been more work for the hospitals. About March 6th the weather began to improve and we occasionally felt dry. We now began to think about giving Jerry something to stir him up as he seemed to have gone underground completely during the cold weather. Evidently Battalion Headquarters also felt that the time had come to stir for we received a message to supply a specimen of German wire as it was wanted by the corps. The job was given in
gpt
C