se the
Air Force had reported that they could see no signs of the enemy,
Corps ordered us to push forward at dawn next morning and occupy the
crest of the ridge. These orders were only received at 2 A.M., and
though Company Commanders were summoned at once A Company (Sergeant W.
Collier) only received his orders at dawn--the runner having missed
the way in the dark. The company of Somersets were to attack on the
right, keeping touch with the Devons, C Company (Mr I.W. Cruickshank)
in the centre, B Company (Mr J. M'Lean) on the left, with D Company
(Mr Brodie Brown) in reserve. A Company (Sergeant W. Collier) was to
keep in touch with the Londoners (58th Division) on the left and
advance in conjunction with them. The time for our barrage opening was
postponed, but the wire from Brigade never reached us and we advanced
without any preliminary bombardment. C Company and the Somersets
almost reached their objectives unobserved when they were met by very
heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. B Company on the left were unable to
push on which left C Company's left flank exposed. Into this gap the
enemy quickly rushed fresh troops and attacked in force with the
result that the two companies were overwhelmed by numbers and nearly
surrounded. They were ordered to retire but not more than a quarter
got back.

We consequently were forced to hold our old line as a defensive line
and get liason with the 58th Division, who also found the enemy in
great strength and were unable to hold what they gained. We learned
afterwards that a regiment (three battalions) of the enemy were
holding the line between Ronssoy and Templeux le Guerard with orders
to fight to the last. The Battalion was now very exhausted, the
trenches were knee-deep in water, and a great number of Lewis guns and
rifles were out of action with mud and water. Major D.D. Ogilvie and
Mr Brodie Brown were the only officers left in the line, with Mr J.W.
Ormiston doing liaison between Battalion H.Q. and Captain R.H.
Colthart at Battle H.Q.--telephonic communication was almost
impossible as the line was broken every five minutes. We were
consequently very pleased when we were told we were to be relieved by
the 10th East Kent Regiment (230th Brigade), who took over from us
that night and we moved back to Longavenes.

Here we found a draft of twelve Black Watch officers awaiting us, and
the day was spent in cleaning ourselves. Next day (12th September) we
moved back to Templeux l