upport relieving the 25th R.W.F. The
Battalion was disposed in two halves supporting the right and left
battalions respectively--A and C Companies at Quentin and B and D
Companies in front of Calonne with Battalion H.Q. After spending
three quiet days here we were relieved by the 2/6th Battalion D.L.I.
(59th Division), and marched back to Molinghem where our transport had
been all the time. B Company left that afternoon, and the rest of the
Battalion entrained next day on a tactical train for the Somme. We had
a very slow journey, and arrived at La Houssoye about midnight and
found our billets there. On 31st August the B Team moved to the
Divisional Reception Camp at Franvillers, and about midday we got
sudden orders to proceed to near Franvillers where buses would be
awaiting us. We went by bus to a farm a couple of miles west of
Maricourt, dumped our packs there and reached our destination Le Foret
about midnight, where to our joy we were run to earth by the transport
with rations and ammunition.

Next day, 1st September, was spent in reconnaissance towards
Bouchavesnes, out of which the Bosche had been pushed that morning. At
7.30 P.M. we set out for the position of deployment east of
Bouchavesnes, and were met by guides who conducted us by the longest
possible route over the worst country they could find, and it was 3
A.M. before the relief of the 2/4th London Regiment was complete and
our men in the assembly trenches. Zero hour was 5.30 A.M., at which
time it was barely light and rather misty. The first objective was the
system of trenches (Opera and Monastir Trenches) on the far side of
the Canal Du Nord, the second objective the strong system of trenches
half way up the slope, and the final objective the crest of the ridge
south of Nurlu Village, a good four miles away. We were to advance
across the Tortille River keeping Moislains on our left, across the
Canal and then swing northeast and push on to the high ground. This
meant squeezing through a narrow neck between Moislains and Allaines
and then after we were through the neck, changing direction and
extending our front to almost double.

After the preliminary bombardment and following the creeping barrage
the Brigade moved forward--the Somersets leading on the right with
ourselves following. The Devons were to mop up the village of
Moislains, and once clear of the village we were to come up on the
left of the Somersets and take the first objective. The barra