[Couin and Beauval.]

Here we are back again at the place we stopped before going into the trenches. Only one casualty this week. ‘Downs’ [13^th Royal Irish Rifles] one, 11^th and 12^th [Royal Irish Rifles] eleven. We now trek away 12 miles today, and 12 tomorrow, well behind the line. 109^th Brigade go into the trenches for a week. Rumours of all sorts. 3^rd Army goes to Salonika is one. We go South West. Lunched with McClintock yesterday, and a good warm at the fire. They’re in the chateau, and they get the ‘Times’ the same evening! We got here after a 12 hour march. Large town, scattered billets. Move on tomorrow, 10 miles, when we stay for a week, when we go back to the trenches, taking the place of a Battalion in the 4^th Division, to who we and the 109^th Brigade shall belong for the period of two months we are trenching. I believe we shall take turns with a Brigade of that Division—8 days in and 8 days out. (Service in [place-name removed—probably ‘Dardanelles’] I’m glad to say, not for us.) Lovely day, cold wind. 107^th Brigade had about 25 casualties, I believe. I don’t actually live in the trenches, but in village 200 yards in rear. Was walking round them day and night, the exercise did me good. They are very much what I thought, but more maze like, and difficult to find one’s way about. More comfortable also for both officers and men. Very late before we got settled in tonight. We got a good report from the Trenches, I believe. Symon was out with the R.A., [Royal Artillery] but went to Vickers’ works to get some job. Our interpreter is troublesome and lazy. Roads very slushy today after yesterday’s rain.