.
Taught by our creeping barrage that machine-guns in the front line
were useless, the enemy had drawn them across the valley towards the
road, and caught our advance over the brow of the rise with accurate
distant machine-gun fire.

Changing the time of zero, the attack was renewed at 5.35 a.m. on the
15th October, the 18th Infantry Brigade on the left (2nd D.L.I. and
11th Essex) attempting to seize those portions of Cloudy and Mild
trenches still held by the enemy, while the Sherwood Foresters on
their right attacked some gun pits which lay about 200 yards in front
of their line. This latter attack succeeded, but with the great loss
of Colonel Hobbs, O.C. The Foresters, who died of his wounds. The left
attack made a little ground. A final attempt to push forward the line
was made on the 18th October by the 9th Norfolks, but was only
partially successful.

On 20th October the Division (less artillery) was relieved and moved
to the First Army, going into Corps Reserve of the I Corps, with
Divisional Headquarters at Bethune and the units in the town and
surrounding area.

The artillery of the Division (Brig.-Gen. E. S. Cleeve, C.R.A.) had
first come into action on the Somme on the 3rd September, supporting
the attack of the 16th Division on Guillemont. It was grouped and
re-grouped in accordance with the requirements of the situation, but
never as a whole covered the operations of the Division.

On the 9th November it was withdrawn and marched to First Army area,
where for about a month it covered the 56th Division, XI Corps, with
6th D.A.H.Q. at La Gorgue, rejoining the Division in I Corps in
December. Brig.-Gen. E. F. Delaforce replaced Brig.-Gen. Cleeve
as C.R.A. on 25th October.

The Division had taken part as a whole in three general attacks on the
Somme (15th and 25th September and 12th October), and had also carried
out subordinate operations on 13th and 18th September and 18th
October.

It had suffered casualties amounting to 277 officers and 6,640 other
ranks, and had well earned a rest.

CHAPTER VII

LOOS SALIENT

1916-17

On 25th November the Division took over the La Bassee sector, which
included the famous Givenchy Ridge and Cuinchy Brickstacks. After
about a month it side-stepped to the Cambrin-Hohenzollern Quarries
front of about 5,500 yards, where it remained until the 28th February
1917. All this front had a most evil repute, but so exhausted was the
enemy by the Somme fighting th