The French 36th Corps attacked with a fresh division
simultaneously to our right; the 1st Division, which had taken over
the task of the capture of Fresnoy and Gricourt, on our left. The four
tanks detailed to attack the Quadrilateral again had bad luck, one
being turned absolutely turtle by a mine field. The three battalions
of the 18th Infantry Brigade met at first with little success, the
11th Essex on the left establishing a rather precarious footing
in one face of the Quadrilateral, and the 1st West Yorkshire Regiment
getting in at one point in Douai Trench, running south from the Strong
Point. The D.L.I., attacking south of them through Holnon Village,
could make no headway. The French had during the morning captured
Round Hill and part of Manchester Hill, and came up in line with us.
The 16th Infantry Brigade fared much better, and working down from the
north was able in the course of the day to secure the northern face of
the Quadrilateral. Their four tanks were of great assistance to them
this day. Throughout the day the 18th Infantry Brigade maintained the
fight with characteristic determination, but without improving its
position very much. At 11 p.m., however, it launched the 1st
Leicestershire Regiment by moonlight in a further attack on Douai
Trench. The attack, delivered with great gallantry, was successful,
and many enemy were killed in the trench which was found to be
strongly held. In spite of the very rough handling which it had
received on the 24th the 18th Infantry Brigade stuck grimly to its
task during the 25th. Douai Trench was cleared from end to end by
hand-to-hand fighting, and patrols, admirably handled, gradually made
good the whole of the objectives allotted for the previous day's
attack. On the morning of 25th September 3 officers and 104 other
ranks surrendered near Fayet to patrols of the 2nd Y. and L. Regiment.
By midnight on the night of the 25/26th September the 16th and 18th
Infantry Brigades in co-operation had completed the capture of the
Quadrilateral, a position of such unusual natural strength that
captured German officers admitted that they had fully expected to be
able to hold it indefinitely. For this very fine performance, a
remarkable instance of grit and determination and of intelligent
initiative by regimental officers of all ranks, to whom the successful
results were entirely due, the Division received the congratulations
of the Army and Corps Commanders and G.O.C., 1st D