Promptly at 5-15 a.m. the barrage came down and the advance began.  Princes’ Road was reached and crossed, the breastwork was found empty, and, after a short pause in the latter, the right centre Companies went on to the old front line.  The left Company had slightly more difficult ground, and arrived half-an-hour later; nowhere had a German been met, though one or two had been seen making for the Aubers Ridge.  It was a bloodless victory, and by 7-0 a.m. the Battalion was occupying the identical sector that it occupied in 1915.  The barrage had not been needed, but it was none the less very useful, for we all learnt how close we could keep and how to judge the “lifts.”  Consolidation was not a difficult matter except on the right flank, where we could not until evening get touch with the 55th Division.  It was consequently necessary for “D” Company to swing back their right through Tube Station and Dead Cow Post and face South.  On the left Colonel Currin with his Sherwood Foresters was in touch with us at the Factory Keep.  Battalion Headquarters moved up just before midday to a small shelter 200 yards west of Princes’ Road.  In most of the captured dug-outs the following notice was found:—­

     Dear Tommy,—­

     You are welcome to all we are leaving, when we stop we shall stop,
     and stop you in a manner you won’t appreciate.  Fritz.

It was neatly printed in English block capitals and caused much amusement.  The whole day was in a way one great joke—­the un-needed barrage, the empty trenches, these farewell notices, all combined to make us very happy.

At first we thought we were going to be let off without any retaliation at all, but the following morning at “stand to” a fairly heavy barrage came down for half-an-hour on the breastwork support line—­presumably to break up any intended attack.  “B” Company Headquarters most unluckily received a direct hit causing six casualties.  Two Serjeants who could ill be spared, A. Cross and E. Bottomley were both badly wounded, the latter mortally; two servants, C. Payne and L. Brotheridge, were wounded not very seriously, and the two runners, G.S.  Bott and G. Dewsbury were hit, Bott so badly that he died in Hospital.  These two runners, inseparable friends, had long been associated with “B” Company Headquarters, and had always done yeoman service, for there was probably never a better pair.  In the afternoon orders came that we should be relieved at dusk by the 19th Division, but that we must be certain that we were in touch with the enemy when handing over.  Accordingly orders were sent up to Captain Petch to try and locate the exact position of the enemy.  At first the patrol sent out was unable to draw fire, so, taking C.S.M.  Passmore, Serjt.  Bowler and others with him, Captain Petch went out himself, and the two waved their arms and shouted to imaginary platoons to make the enemy think an attack was coming.  The ruse was successful, a machine