Partial Relief

Saturday 5th December 1914: The 1st Battalion were supposed to be relieved from their front line trenches north-west of Wulvergem today. In the event it has only been a partial relief. The relieving Battalion, 2nd Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers (13th Brigade, 5th Division), are still very weak as a result of casualties received in the recent fighting and so could not hold the front line without being stretched dangerously thin.

Three officers and two hundred other ranks have been left in the front line, no doubt much to their vexation, to help the Borderers whilst the rest of the Battalion have retired back to more comfortable billets in Dranouter.

Source: X550/2/5