A quiet night and morning so far, but a steady drizzle has begun, which is converting the trench into a sticky glue. Menaul found out some good information Monday night, but last night was too dark to find out anything. We (guns) fired on their wire in p.m. Had two M.G. [machine guns] laid on the broken part, and at night, when they started to mend it, we let off into them and kept it up at irregular intervals through the night. Berry got a smack on the shoulder yesterday from a small bit of shrapnel, but it didn’t even tear his coat, and he has only a small bruise. Padre looked in here yesterday evening; he had had an active day. Went to H_____ [Hamel] and M_____ [Mesnil] in the morning and put up three crosses to our men in the cemeteries there, and then came on here and went round all the men.

Five officers and 20 N.C.O.s came in today from 31^st Div. (who take over this bit from us) to get a hang of the line for 72 hours, and then another party comes in. As we have barely enough room for our officers this is a nuisance. I have to put one up here. The relief passed off all right and quietly. The incoming Battalion were to have sent 10 Officers and 40 N.C.O.s at 3:30 p.m. They haven’t come yet, and only reached E_____ [Englebelmer] at 3:30 p.m. We are hard pushed for accommodation for them. Just heard the party will be here at 11.00 p.m.! Drizzling all day and trenches very sticky.

The Brigade comes bodily out of the line and has to be clear of the area by the 27^th. We move back somewhere in support, the 109^th [Brigade] remaining in. Don’t know where, but hope not a long trek. Awful nuisance moving Qr. Mr’s stores, baths, laundry, etc. Menaul was out again on patrol, 3^rd night in succession. Did good work. Made him take night off tomorrow. He is training 20 Battalion Scouts. He has found snipers’ posts and other useful points. It was inky dark last night and tonight. Very lucky so far, only one casualty, and that a slight one. The men have done good work, and this bit of line is vastly improved in every way since we took it over. A quiet day, except for the daily dose of H.E.s and whizz-bangs from 3.00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.