Lieut.-Colonel W. R. A. Smith, Headquarters. Major G. D. Jeffreys, Headquarters Lieutenant and Adjutant the Hon. W. R. Bailey, Headquarters 2nd Lieut. M. Williams (Machine-gun Officer), Headquarters Lieutenant and Quartermaster J. H. Skidmore, Headquarters Capt. J. S. Hughes, No. 1 Company. Lieut. A. K. S. Cunninghame (Transport Officer), No. 1 Company. 2nd Lieut. J. N. Buchanan, No. 1 Company. 2nd Lieut. G. W. V. Hopley, No. 1 Company. Capt. P. A. Clive, M.P., No. 2 Company. Lieut. F. G. Marshall, No. 2 Company. 2nd Lieut. J. C. Craigie, No. 2 Company. 2nd Lieut. H. C. L. Rumbold, No. 2 Company. Capt. A. B. R. R. Gosselin, No. 3 Company. Capt. R. H. V. Cavendish, M.V.O., No. 3 Company. Lieut. C. R. Gerard, No. 3 Company. 2nd Lieut. H. S. E. Bury, No. 3 Company. Capt. E. D. Ridley, No. 3 Company. Lieut. F. G. Beaumont-Nesbitt, No. 4 Company. Lieut. C. R. Britten, No. 4 Company. 2nd Lieut. E. G. Williams, No. 4 Company. _Attached_--Captain F. D. G. Howell, R.A.M.C. [Sidenote: Dec. 27-28.] The Battalion returned to the same line of trenches, and found them as unpleasant as before. The cover had been improved, and the communication trenches were better, but the water stood in them as deep as ever. On the night of the 28th it blew a gale, and the cold was intense. The rain that came down all night not only filled the trenches with more water, but broke down the parapet and loopholes in many places. The men passed a miserable night, soaked to the skin, with no means of keeping warm, and although the constant repairs to the parapet kept them employed, the sniping made all work difficult and dangerous. [Sidenote: Dec. 29-30.] A few of the enemy's 6-inch shells fell on the trenches, but not with sufficient accuracy to cause any damage. The trenches were still in a terrible state, communication was impossible, and there were numerous cases of frostbite. In the evening of the 29th the Battalion was again relieved by the 3rd Battalion Coldstream, and went back to Le Touret, where it remained two days. [Sidenote: Dec. 31-Jan. 2.] On the 31st it returned to the flooded trenches again, and was subjected to the usual sniping and bombing. The Germans were using a trench mortar which fired large bombs from some distance into our line, while at that time we had nothing more than hand grenades, which were somewhat primitive and dangerous to the thrower. The water, however, was the greatest difficulty our men had to contend with: it made the communication trenches impassable, and accounted for more men than the enemy's bullets. It ate away the parapet, rotted the men's clothing, rusted and jammed the rifles, retarded the food supply, and generally made the life of the men in the trenches hideous; but in spite of all this discomfort the men remained cheerful and in good spirits. [Sidenote: Jan. 1915.]