a Fosse, with Battalion H.Q. in the old
Prisoners of War compound and the companies in trenches. Major J.M.
M'Kenzie, Royal Scots, arrived to take over command of the Battalion
from, Major D.D. Ogilvie, and Brig.-General F.S. Thackeray (H.L.I.)
assumed command of the Brigade which Lieut.-Colonel C.J.H.
Spence-Jones, Pembroke Yeomanry, had commanded since Brig.-General R.
Hoare had been wounded. We had six restful days here and then moved up
to Faustine Quarry in reserve for the attack by the Division. A
Company (Mr P. Dane) were attached to the Somersets, who had suffered
a lot of casualties from gas.

The III. Corps continued the attack on 18th September with a view to
securing a position affording good observation on the Hindenburg line.
The 1st Australian Division co-operated on our right and the 16th
Division on our left. Against us was the 38th Division (German)
holding from Templeux le Guerard to Ronssoy.

Our divisional frontage had been reduced by nearly half, each brigade
having been responsible for about 1000 yards. The 230th (and the
Somersets) were on the right, 231st (with the Devons) on the left,
leaving only ourselves in reserve. Aided by a haze and a very
effective barrage the attack was a complete success, the first
objectives being gained by 7.45 A.M. with very few casualties and a
large bag of prisoners. On advancing over the ridge towards the second
objective A Company came under very heavy machine-gun fire from
Rifleman Post, but our artillery soon silenced that, and we were in
occupation of Rifleman Post by one o'clock--an advance of 4500 yards.
Here we consolidated, and remained till relieved by the Sussex. A
Company's casualties were 4 killed and 25 wounded, and they had a
number of prisoners and machine guns to their credit.

[Illustration: The Divisional Boundaries for the three phases of the
advance are shown by shaded lines. The first two advances were on a
1-Brigade frontage, the third on a 2-Brigade frontage with only our
Battalion in Reserve. Opposed to us were the Alpine Corps (1st
Bavarian Jaeger Regiment and Body Infantry Regiment), with the 6th
Cavalry Division on their right and the 96th and 95th Imperial
Regiments of the 38th Division on their left.

MAP SHOWING THE TRENCH SYSTEM ON THE SOMME.
In addition to the principal trenches, use was made of all sunken
roads and belts of barbed wire stretched across the country.
_To face page 134_
Emery Walker Ltd. Sc.]

20th September