Meanwhile a totally distinct fight took place at Nos. 13 and 14 Posts, generally known as Alton Post, where there was a machine-gun protected by a bombing-post, under Lieutenant W. B. Ball. It happened that a party of Royal Engineers, under an officer, was working at the machine-gun dug-out that night. The machine-gun itself was knocked out by the first few shells of the barrage, and a small party of Germans immediately afterwards emerged from the darkness, and rushed at the post. Corporal Horan, who was in charge of the bombing-post, disabled three of them with well-directed bombs, but one very tall German, followed by some more, broke through, and proceeded to throw bombs down the dug-out. It was all done in a moment, and the officer of the Royal Engineers, who was in the dug-out, having just escaped the first bomb, ran round to another exit, when he narrowly missed a second one, before he got out into the open. Meanwhile, Private Moore, a Grenadier attached to the Royal Engineers, closed with the leading German, and was stabbed to death. Corporal Horan then came up, and shot the tall German dead. Presumably the leaders of the party had all been accounted for, as the remainder turned and disappeared into the darkness.
It is difficult to estimate with any accuracy the enemy's casualties, since there is no doubt they were able to carry away most of their wounded and even their dead. It is only possible, therefore, to state the actual number of dead and wounded left in our lines. These were: 2 killed and 5 wounded, 4 of whom subsequently died. The casualties in the Grenadiers were: 2 killed, 2 died of wounds, and 5 wounded. It was a distinctly unfortunate raid for the Germans, who had taken infinite pains to make it a success; yet not only had they suffered heavy loss, but they had failed to obtain an identification of any kind either in the nature of a prisoner or a bit of equipment. With 2 officers and nearly 60 men, they imagined they would make short work of 12 men under one officer, but they had the misfortune to meet some tough fighters, who were anxious to come to close quarters with them.
Brigadier-General Lord Ardee two days later received the following message:
The Corps Commander requests that you will convey to the officers and men of the 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards his high appreciation of the gallant and successful resistance put up by the garrison of Arleux Post on the night of February 19-20. He wishes also to congratulate the Thirty-first Division on having completely repulsed for the fourth time in succession during the last two months determined and elaborately prepared attempts to penetrate their lines.
On the 21st the 4th Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards, and retired to Ecurie Camp for four days' rest, after which it returned to the front trenches. On the 23rd the sad news of the death of Lieutenant Ludlow was received. He had been universally popular as Quartermaster of the Battalion, and had only just retired to take up an appointment at Chelsea Hospital, when he was killed by a bomb dropped by a German aeroplane during a raid on London.
4th Batt. March 1918.
On March 21 the 4th Battalion was in billets in the Cheiers-Guestreville-Bethencourt area, and the Brigade as part of the Thirty-first Division was in General Headquarters Reserve, when an order arrived, warning all Battalions to be ready to move the next morning. At 10 a.m. the 4th Battalion started off in buses, and with the rest of the Brigade moved via St. Pol and Doulens to Blairville. It was now to take part in ten strenuous days' fighting, digging, and marching, in open warfare of the kind associated with the retreat from Mons in 1914, and to forgo the comparative comforts of an established trench line. The following officers took part in these operations:
| Lieut.-Colonel W. S. Pilcher, D.S.O. | Commanding Officer. |
| Capt. C. R. Gerard, D.S.O. | Adjutant. |
| Capt. M. Chapman, M.C. | Intelligence Officer. |
| Capt. I. H. Ingelby | Quartermaster. |
| Lieut. G. W. Selby-Lowndes | Transport Officer. |
| Lieut. G. R. Green | Attached to B.H.Q. |
| Capt. H. H. Sloane-Stanley, M.C. | No. 1 Company. |
| Lieut. C. E. Irby, M.C. | " " |
| Lieut. E. H. Tuckwell, M.C. | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. A. J. Gilbey | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. R. B. Osborne | Replaced Lieut. Tuckwell on the 26th. |
| Lieut. G. C. Burt | Replaced 2nd Lieut. Gilbey on the 23rd. |
| Capt. C. E. Benson, D.S.O. | No. 2 Company. |
| Lieut. R. H. Rolfe. | " " |
| Lieut. R. L. Murray-Lawes | " " |
| Lieut, the Hon. C. C. S. Rodney | Replaced Lieut. Murray-Lawes on the 26th. |
| Lieut. T. T. Pryce, M.C. | Replaced Captain Benson on the 25th. |
| Lieut. F. C. Lyon | No. 3 Company. |
| Lieut. M. D. Thomas | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. C. J. Dawson-Greene | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. J. Macdonald | (To Hospital on the 25th.) |
| Capt. G. C. Sloane-Stanley | Replaced Lieut. Lyon on the 26th. |
| Lieut. T. W. Minchin, D.S.O. | No. 4 Company. |
| Lieut. N. R. Abbey | " " |
| Lieut. J. E. Greenwood | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. R. D. Richardson | " " |
| Capt. N. Grellier, M.C., R.A.M.C. | Medical Officer. |
Mar. 23.