The 311th Brigade was withdrawn from the line on the 22nd March, on being converted into an Army Brigade, and marched from Engelbelmer on the 24th, en route for an area in the North. It was with great regret that I said farewell to this most efficient brigade, which, under the able command of Lieut.-Colonel A. Gadie, had done consistently good service, and had always given evidence of the finest fighting spirit under the most trying conditions. On the 27th March the 310th Brigade moved up into action in support of the 7th Division before Croisilles, and were followed four days later by B/312, so that all batteries were then again active. [Sidenote: April 1917.] On the 1st April, Divisional Headquarters moved to Achiet-le-Grand, and next day, to the accompaniment of a blizzard of snow, the 7th Division captured the villages of Croisilles and Ecoust, supported by the 62nd Divisional Artillery in addition to their own guns. In this fight Lieut. E. W. F. Jephson was awarded the Military Cross for the following act of gallantry:-- "On the 2nd April, 1917, during an attack on Ecoust, this officer was sent forward with an orderly to reconnoitre for an O.P. On his way forward two runners of the Gordon Highlanders were fired at by a German sniper in a post. One was shot dead. The other runner, Lieut. Jephson, and orderly procured bombs from some wounded men, and crept up to the post from behind some fallen trees, and bombed the sniper, severely wounding him. Lieut. Jephson then went on through Ecoust with the orderly, when he discovered sniping from his right rear. He then returned another way and saw three Germans running into a cellar, which he approached. After he had fired some revolver shots into the cellar, they came out when ordered. One of these prisoners was taken off as a guide to the infantry, the other two being brought back by Lieut. Jephson. He did good work at the O.P. previous to moving forward out of Ecoust." The enemy was now firmly posted in his much advertised Hindenburg Line, and as he showed every intention of holding on to it after his long retreat, it became necessary to get all batteries forward to within about 2500 yards range, in order to start wire cutting. The Ecoust valley area was apportioned to my artillery, and the batteries began to occupy positions there on the 3rd April. This was a work of great difficulty and danger as the approaches were in view of the enemy, and the positions themselves were barely concealed. As the first section of B/312 were coming into action a shell completely knocked out one of the detachments, killing five men and wounding three.