With the exception of this raid, nothing of importance occurred at the beginning of March, until on the 12th Second Lieutenant G. H. Hanning and Second Lieutenant H. M. Chapman were both wounded by the same shell. Fortunately they were close to a dressing-station, and were in the doctor’s hands within ten minutes. On the 13th an attack was expected, and our artillery fired continual bursts of harassing fire which brought retaliation from the Germans, during which one sergeant and three men were wounded. The four days from the 14th to the 18th were spent in the line, but proved uneventful, and on the 20th the 2nd Battalion retired to Arras. Next day rumours of a successful German offensive on a large front reached the Battalion, but nothing definite was known. Shells fell in Arras, causing many casualties, and the town began to be cleared of its inhabitants. On the 22nd Lieutenant P. V. Pelly and fifty men who had been transferred from the Household Battalion joined from the Reinforcement Battalion. Further disquieting rumours with regard to the German advance were repeated from mouth to mouth, and became so exaggerated that drastic and often unnecessary measures were taken to prevent any stores from falling into the hands of the Germans. On the 24th preparations were made to relieve the 1st Battalion Scots Guards in the Army line, from St. Leger running north towards Henin, but in the afternoon these instructions were cancelled. It appeared that the enemy had taken Gomiecourt, and was advancing towards Courcelles. Lieut.-Colonel Rasch received orders to take up an outpost line on the high ground south-west of Boiry, and went off at once with the Company Commanders, to reconnoitre the ground and settle the boundaries. The following officers accompanied the Battalion: Lieut.-Colonel G. E. C. Rasch, D.S.O. Commanding Officer. Capt. G. C. FitzH. Harcourt-Vernon, D.S.O. Act.-Second in Command. Capt. A. H. Penn Adjutant. Capt. F. A. M. Browning, D.S.O. No. 1 Company. 2nd Lieut. H. B. G. Morgan ” ” 2nd Lieut. J. S. Carter ” ” Capt. O. Martin Smith No. 2 Company. 2nd Lieut. S. C. K. George ” ” 2nd Lieut. A. P. J. M. P. de Lisle ” ” Lieut. S. T. S. Clarke, M.C. No. 3 Company. 2nd Lieut. F. J. Langley ” ” 2nd Lieut. the Hon. S. A. S. Montagu ” ” Capt. G. B. Wilson No. 4 Company. Lieut. J. H. Jacob ” ” Lieut. D. Harvey ” ” Capt. W. H. Lister, D.S.O., M.C., R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.