February 1, 1917. LA TOURET. Battalion relieved in reserve by 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment of the 5th Division and proceeded to billets at BEUVRY. The whole of this Division moving out of the line and becoming GHQ reserve. Billets good, all arrived by 3 PM. No casualties.
February 2nd 1917. BEUVRY. Battalion ordered to be ready to move at 6 hours’ notice from any time. General cleanup of arms and equipment.
February 3, 1917. Companies at disposal of Company Commanders. Nothing special to report.
February 4, 1917. Battalion to be ready to move at any time with 12 hours’ notice. To companies to work under RE supervision, remainder attending Divine Services, all offices available attended lectures at BETHUNE on the French organization for attack, which organization, on modified lines, is to be adopted by the British Army.
February 5, 1917. Battalion, with transport, route marched for a period of 3 hours. 2nd Lieut’s. L Bartlett and E B Slade joined Battalion on probation in the respective ranks.
February 6, 1917. Reorganization of companies and platoons on basis of that of the French on instructions issued by Division was carried out. Under this method platoon becomes a complete unit of all infantry arms.
February 7, 1917. The Battalion continued organization and, in the afternoon, will formed up in the new attack formation by the Commanding Officer. Details of this formation are attached.
February 8, 1917. Orders received that Battalion is to move to take over a new section in the line. The CO, Adjutant and Company Commanders proceeded to reconnoiter the IL BIS sector at LOOS which is to be taken over by the Brigade at an early date.
February 9th 1917. Training carried out under Company Commanders. Chiefly to instruct all NCO’s and men under new formation conditions.
February 10-11, 1917. Nothing special to report.
February 12, 1917. Support trenches near LOOS. Battalion marched from BOUVRY via SAILLY – LA BOURES and PHILOSOPHE to reserve trenches in the IL BIS sector, LOOS. Relieving 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers. The line taken over is known as the VILLAGE LINE. Relief completed by 3 PM.
February 13, 1917. IL BIS sector, LOOS. Battalion relieved by 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade, IL BIS right sector. The CTs are in very good condition and also the frontline and supports but it is evident that when the thaw has completely started everything will be a most wretched state. The right of our sector is bounded by the CRASSIER, along bank of debris from the mines of LOOS entities not held except by a post from the Brigade on our right. Relief was completed at 3:30 PM. No casualties during relief and a very quiet day.
February 14, 1917. Minenwerfers were chief annoyances during the 24 hours but the effect is more morale than anything else. Our guns retaliated and silenced them.
February 15, 1917. Quiet day but enemy very active on our right with trench mortars at 7 PM. We sustained 2 casualties, both wounded by rifle grenades.
February 16, 1917. A quiet day but enemy was nervous at night and machine gun fire is almost intermittent. Trench mortars are the greatest annoyance on this front and has to be silenced by our artillery several times. One killed and one wounded by trench mortar fire.
February 17, 1917. Quiet day. Thaw has set in and trenches are showing signs of results. Working parties for work at support line supplied by reserve and support companies. About 80 coils put out. Casualties one killed.
February 18, 1917. Quiet day. Lieut. Col. Bickwell, DSO, proceeded to 1st Army school full conference of Commanding Officers. Capt. A G Dawson assumed command of Battalion.
February 19, 1917. MAZINGARBE. Relief completed by 3 PM. No casualties. Billets good.
February 20, 1917. Trenches being in bad condition owing to rain and thaw. 3 companies were employed cleaning CTs nightly. The Battalion is employed almost to a man on cleaning results of thaw and wet.
February 21-25, 1917. Battalion employed nightly in repair of communication trenches etc. and is caring parties for trench mortars etc. During this period nothing special to report.
February 26, 1917. Battalion relieved the 8th Somerset Light Infantry in sector as handed over on the 19th instant. Relief by night and completed by 4 AM, 27th instant. No casualties.
February 27, 1917. Quiet day. A dummy raid was carried out on left Brigade front by artillery but little retaliation provoked. Casualties 2 wounded by rifle grenades. Lieut. Gen. Bicknell rejoined.
February 28, 1917. Artillery active on both sides during day and at night at 10 PM the brigade on our left discharged gas. The artillery bombarded and machine guns also assisted. Apparently, gas cloud was very good and enemy retaliated heavily with machine guns and TMs but very little artillery fire. No casualties but some material damage.
4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment 