Towards the end of the month came rumours of a rest, and on the 30th the
Battalion marched off once more to Becourt, where it was this time
accommodated in huts. After a night there it marched back to billets at
Warloy, where it stayed during the whole of December, training and
resting. The rest was thoroughly enjoyed by all ranks. On Christmas Day
sports were held which included a mounted officers' race won by Lieut.
H.T. Bircham, M.C., transport officer.

On New Year's Day the Battalion was on its way back to the line. The
first day's march took it to billets in Albert, the billets being
partially destroyed houses. The following day the march was resumed to a
hut camp near the quarry at Bazentin-le-Petit, well known to the few
remaining survivors of the 15th September. After a few days in this camp,
troubled only by an occasional shell, a move was made into High Wood West
camp, a cheerless place consisting of black tarpaulin huts. From this and
a similar camp across the valley (High Wood East) the Battalion did two
tours in the front line at Factory Corner, where the line consisted of
more or less isolated posts. The support line, where a few days were
spent, was just in front of Flers. During these tours the weather was
exceedingly cold and the men suffered considerably, both in the line and
in the camp. There was also a considerable amount of shell fire. Parties
carrying up rations and pushing trolleys up the light railway from
Clarke's Dump had several casualties, and on one occasion the camp was
hit and all the signallers who had been left out of the line for training
became casualties. In the line itself the only outstanding incident
happened to a patrol which found itself surrounded one night, but
succeeded in getting back safely. Towards the end of the month came
rumours of relief, and on the 24th January the Division was relieved by
the 1st Australian Division. The Battalion came out to a new hut camp on
the Beaver Road, between the Bazentin and Mametz Woods. The next day it