The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 23rd February1916

23^rd February 1916 –

1st Battalion – All work handicapped by snow – patrolling & wiring at a standstill except for occasional party dressed in white.

2nd Battalion – Everything quiet in our sector but enemy made an attack at 6pm on our left. Attack was repulsed. Enemy trench mortars active at 5.45pm but were silenced by our 4.5 Howitzers.

Officers 32.    Other Ranks 837.

1/5^th Battalion – A telegram was received from Capt Master that the details had been ordered to move to NOWSHERA where it was proposed to store all baggage etc under canvas. As before leaving INDIA the C.O. had been informed that the details would remain at LUCKNOW & accordingly officers & men had left many articles of value etc there instead of despatching them home this order caused much consternation. The C.O immediately took steps to have it cancelled & on the 27^th heard it had been cancelled. The greatest confusion has been caused in the Battn, accounts by the various changes in plans of the authorities as to the office by whom they are to be kept. When leaving LUCKNOW we were informed that the D.D.D. 8^th Lucknow Division was to do this. On arrival at BASRA the F.D.O. had heard nothing of this & we were ordered to send all accounts to him. Subsequently the F.D.O. informed us that the D.D.O. 8^th Lucknow Division was to do so. Finally we hear the F.D.O. is to do so. Meanwhile we have sent our accounts for December & January to the D.D.O. at Lucknow. We have also received the pay lists for November & December

from the D.D.O. 8^th Division so carelessly prepared that they teem with inaccuracies & have had to ask him to have them redrawn. As a result we have been on service 3 months & are still totally unable to ascertain the balances to the credit of the N.C.O’s & men when they left LUCKNOW. The whole matter has been most unsatisfactory & involved a very large amount of clerical labour to all of us.

1/6^th Battalion – Battalion relieved the 6^th Bn The Buffs in the Firing Line & their front was from ST ELIE AVENUE (exclusive) to Poker Street (inclusive) The line was divided as follows “B” Coy Right Coy ST ELIE AVENUE (exclusive) to sap 2 (exclusive) “C” Coy sap 2 (inclusive) to   sap 3 (inclusive) “D” Coy  sap 3 (exclusive) to sap 6&7 (exclusive) Coy saps 6&7  (inclusive) to POKER STREET (inclusive). The relief was complete by 7pm. Enemy were very active during the night of 23/24 with rifle grenades & T Ms owing to shortage rifle grenades enemy seemed to have upper hand.

Casualties 4 Killed 10 Wounded.

7^th Battalion – In Billets nothing to record.