Except for patrol work, the piece of work carried out on 2nd February, 1916, in connection with the new trenches was the first military operation carried out by the 17th when in close touch with the enemy, and it was confined to "B" Company and a Platoon of "A" Company, who acted as covering party. For some time the Battalion had been exercised in night manœuvres, and on 1st February they had a full-dress rehearsal of the impending operation, which, on Tuesday, 2nd February, came off sooner than had been anticipated. The scheme was to form a new line of trenches, protected by wire, nearer the German line, some 300 yards in front of the existing one, the length dug being about 600 yards, with communication trenches in addition. At 6 p.m., in pitch darkness, "B" Company filed out into "no man's land." Instructions were, "No firing, bayonet only if necessary." There were Hun flares and machine guns, but no search-light. Had the enemy but used the light, all might have been spoiled. Their lives depended on no Hun reaching their line, or getting back with information. They went straight out the 600 yards without a hitch. That fixed their right flank, where Major J.R. Young was in command. Captain Russell led his half Company 500 yards straight across the front, with two scouts on either side, checking. At every five yards a man dropped and was placed, facing his proper front. They moved slowly, snail pace, but only three times in the 500 yards had the line to drop flat, until the last man was placed. The next thing was to get in touch with "A" Company, who were putting out the platoon to guard "B" Company's left flank. Rather jumpy work, this joining hands in pitch darkness. It was a long, silent night. At 9.30 the tinkling sound of the wire being fixed was heard, and they knew from this that the digging had commenced--some 800 men, good and true, working silently as they had never worked before. When 1.30 a.m. came their time was up. The right half Company, under Major Young, rose silently, and crept off to a place in the wire where a gap had been arranged for the men to pass through. Captain Russell with the left half Company followed. The wiring and digging went on till 3 a.m., protected by patrols sent out in front of the wire. A new trench, with communication trenches, had been laid 300 yards out from their old line, protected by treble staked wire, on a frontage of 600 yards. The new trench was held till dawn before handing over. There was no hitch, and not a man wounded. The Battalion would have given much to see the Huns' faces when they looked across and found that long line of serpentine earth and wire shoved out under their noses. There would probably be some court-martialling of their patrols. Everything worked in absolute harmony, and with perfect success, and all got back safe to tell the tale. The Hun discovered what had been done only the following morning when all was over.