ay by the 29th Division, and
relieved the latter there. On the night of the 26/27th November the
18th Infantry Brigade extended its left up to the south-east edge of
Cantaing.

About half a mile of the original front had been handed over to the
29th Division, and the 6th Division now held a rectangular strip 2,500
yards by 7,000 yards, with the head at Cantaing and Noyelles, and the
rear in the Hindenburg Main Line. The 29th Division had a precarious
hold of the ground across the canal on the right, and the Guards
Division was having hard fighting at Fontaine on the left.

Comparing the position with the back of a man's left hand, the 6th
Division occupied the third finger, the 29th Division the main finger,
the 20th Division the index finger, the 12th Division the portion
below the index finger down to the lower portion of the thumb when
fully extended, the 55th Division occupied the thumb. Such was the
situation when the enemy delivered a heavy counter-attack, on the
morning of the 30th November, on the 29th, 20th and 12th Divisions of
the III Corps and the 55th Division of the VII Corps, driving the 20th
and 12th Divisions on to the main finger except for a few posts, and
occupying the thumb.

The Germans reached Gouzeaucourt at about 9 a.m., but were stoutly
opposed by transport details of the 18th Infantry Brigade, who most
gallantly led by Lieut. and Quartermaster J. P. L. Shea, 2nd D.L.I.,
and Capt. and Adjutant W. Paul, 1st West Yorks, checked the enemy in a
portion of the village until it was retaken by the Guards about
midday. These two brave officers, whose initiative and sound military
action probably saved the situation from becoming much worse, were
both wounded, and subsequently died of their wounds, a great loss to
their battalions and to the Division.

A Staff-Officer arrived from the 29th Division about 9 a.m., and
reported their Divisional Headquarters just north-east of Gouzeaucourt
to have been captured and the Germans entering the village, which was
about two miles to the right rear of 6th Divisional Headquarters. The
16th Infantry Brigade, which was in Divisional Reserve in the
Hindenburg Main Line some two miles away, was ordered up to the ridge
between Beaucamps and Gouzeaucourt. Brig.-Gen. Walker, commanding 16th
Infantry Brigade, who was ordered to report to G.O.C., 29th Division,
at Gouzeaucourt, narrowly escaped capture, together with his
Brigade-Major, the enemy now being in possession