[Insert two photographs with pencil captions, 'Photographed February 1919', under left image 'Church gate, Montauban, All that remained of the Church', and under right image 'Briqueterie Headquarters'] 3 p.m. just in time to catch the boat. 12 January – 10 February 1917 On leave. Feel very much better after the rest. 11 February 1917 Motor from Boulogne and in five hours arrive at Headquarters which are now near MONTAUBAN. General Banbury goes on 30 days leave & hands over his brigade to Colonel Troyte-Bullock (Somersets). Weather still very cold but slight thaw. 12-15 February 1917 Freezes hard every day & no digging can be done. 16 February 1917Thaw begins & roads are in a bad state. Trenches knee deep in mud again. 17-19 February 1917 Our left sector is heavily trench mortared every night & the Artillery find it hard to silence them. One of our posts which was handed over by the 29th Division is in a very dangerous position & has Germans on three sides of it. The route to the post is barraged