and this work had to be done under shell fire both by day & night. I assure you that until I had heard that these strong points had been made & wired I did not feel that Guillemont was safe from counter attack. Your casualties have been heavy but in this war that I'm afraid must be expected. All through your work has been splendid and you have always answered loyally all calls which have been made on you. When the history of this great war is published you will find that our Royal Engineers will receive full acknowledgement & praise for the magnificent work they have done which has been ceaseless and full of [illegible].] was chiefly due to the heavy barrage placed on the north west edge of Guedecourt where their front line was and they were unable to hold any ground behind this line in the village itself so that on the day of the attack their assembly trenches consisted of this front line & a line at the south east of the village; the attack from this latter could not advance owing to the heavy shelling of the village. The lesson to be learnt from this seems to be not to make your assembly trenches on the edge of a village but forward of it. I think this could have been done two or three days before the fight. Names have been called for for [sic] the New Years Honours Despatches. Our allotment is 143 in the proportion of 2 to 3 honours and mentions. Not a great number and one cannot reward many who deserve it. Since March to