Still dull, slight frost and light snow. A very heavy bombardment just S. [south] of us near our last place, from 11:15 p.m. to 12:40 a.m., but apparently nothing developed of a serious nature anyway. We were all up and ready. A thick fog and one could walk about on top or ‘on the lid’ and get a better idea of the trenches. Such a maze of unused half complete trenches as there are. Went round the line after breakfast. There met the R.E. Fd. Coy. [Royal Engineers Field Company] Major and Sub. [subaltern] (both capital fellows), and prospected sights for new dug-outs. Then Bull came and I went round with him, then lunch and a rest; then the Padre, and then round ‘on the lid,’ and so home. I hear Ross Smyth’s Battalion lost three killed and about 12 wounded in last night’s strafe, which was wonderfully little considering the amount of heavy stuff the Huns put in. ‘B’ Coy. have worked so well in fearfully miserable conditions, and never a murmur or grumble. Relief tomorrow, I hope by daylight. Even so don’t expect to be back at H_____ [Hédauville] till 8.00 or 9.00 p.m. Drizzle set in this evening so hope the thaw has really come at last. Rather fear the French will have to fall back, not really serious, but will help to hearten the Hun. I see the German Fleet is out, but I expect won’t go far. It may be they are going for a big thing all round. They don’t seem to suffer from lack of ammunition judging from last night, which was just retaliation for Nugent’s strafe of their transport.