next day's struggle.

At 7.30 a.m. on 22nd March the 16th Infantry Brigade repulsed an
attack, but the enemy renewed his efforts with great persistence, and
with much heavy bombardment and trench-mortaring, at 9.30 a.m. and
onwards in the vicinity of Vaux and Mericourt Woods. Though frequent
counter-attacks were made, the troops were forced back little by
little from the corps line towards some improvised trenches hastily
dug under the C.R.E.'s (Col. Goldney) direction some 1,000 yards in
rear, and manned partially by men from the Corps Reinforcement Camp
under Major Jones of the 2nd D.L.I. As an example of the tenacious
fighting, a sunken road which contained the Headquarters of the 16th
and 71st Infantry Brigades changed hands three times. Throughout the
day Lt.-Col. Latham, D.S.O., commanding 1st Leicesters, and Lt.-Col.
Dumbell, D.S.O., commanding 11th Battalion Essex Regiment,
distinguished themselves greatly in the defence of their sectors of
the line. On the right of the Division the control had passed by dusk
to the G.O.C., 75th Infantry Brigade (29th Division)--the 18th
Infantry Brigade having only about 100 of all ranks left. On the left
there was a large gap between the 16th Infantry Brigade and the 40th
Division, which had been pushed up towards Vaux Vraucourt, and this
the 6th Division had no troops with which to fill it. The enemy's
pressure on the flanks of the 16th Infantry Brigade and in the centre
on the 71st Infantry Brigade caused the line to fall back on the new
Army line which was being dug and wired. This was done in good order,
and at nightfall the weary remnants of the Division were relieved by
the 41st Division and concentrated in the vicinity of Achiet, the
artillery remaining behind and fighting in the subsequent
withdrawal up to 26th March.

The Division had put up a resistance of which it had every reason to
be proud, and which won for it the following letter from the G.O.C.,
Third Army (General Sir J. Byng):--

"I cannot allow the 6th Division to leave the Third Army without
expressing my appreciation of their splendid conduct during the first
stages of the great battle now in progress.

"By their devotion and courage they have broken up overwhelming
attacks and prevented the enemy gaining his object, namely a decisive
victory.

"I wish them every possible good luck."

To this magnificent result all ranks and all arms had contributed, and
it is perhaps invidious to single out spec