with the gas from the trenches the helmet is the only preventive In case of a gas attack goggles & helmets are both to be worn. 7 January 1916 Still wild & wet. Germans shell some of our trenches every day but we have given them more in return otherwise the front is fairly quiet. 8 January 1916 Wyatt the Brigade machine gun officer was killed by a shell yesterday – he was going home in a day or two for a rest – had been with us some months – he had only married a month ago! 9 January 1916 Tonight is the night I had settled on for an attack on two German posts on the edge of a mine crater in front of our trenches. A prisoner is wanted for identification of units, & we hoped to get one or two, but the German sentry