No sooner had the Adjutant gone, than orders came for a battle.  At dawn on the 24th the Division on our right was going to advance, and the 46th Division, by way of assisting them, was to capture Pontruet and hold Forgan’s trench as a final objective.  The 138th Brigade were chosen for this fight, and General Rowley decided to use one Battalion only—­ourselves.  We were to attack the village from the rear, by advancing into the valley from the North and then turning West, while one Company turning East would capture and hold Forgan’s.  There was little time for preparation, so Colonel Griffiths called a Company Commanders’ meeting, reconnoitred the village from above, and decided on his plan of attack.  At the same time a runner was sent after the Adjutant, and found him just boarding the leave train.  It was a near thing, but not for anything would he have missed the next few weeks.

The Colonel’s plan was as follows:—­To assemble the Battalion in lines of platoons in fours facing South, just behind the right of our front line.  “A” would be on the right, “D” on the left.  At Zero all would move forward with a barrage, keeping about 50 yards distance and interval between platoons.  All would cross the Bellenglise road and finally, when the leading platoons were level with the farther, i.e., South, edge of Pontruet, “A” and “B” would turn to the right, sweep through and reform on the West side of it.  “D” would turn left and capture Forgan’s trench, having a platoon of “C” Company to help them.  The rest of “C” would assist which ever party seemed to be in difficulties.  The Headquarters would move to the high ground, whence the fight would be visible, and there was every hope of opening signal communication with the attacking Companies.  Artillery arrangements were made accordingly, and bombardments ordered for the supposed posts in Forgan’s.  Unfortunately, much against our wishes, and in opposition to the Brigadier’s scheme, a heavy smoke barrage was to be placed on the Western edge of the village.  A West wind would make this a thick blanket and seriously hinder our advance, and West winds are very common; however, we could not alter this part of the scheme.  The Sherwood Foresters were ordered to assist by pushing up to the village after we had captured it.  Zero would be 5-0 a.m. on the 24th of September.

As soon as it was dark on the 23rd, Captain Banwell taped out a “jumping off” line for the leading platoons.  There was some unpleasant shelling at the time, but he completed his task successfully, and also taped out the route to this assembly position.  At midnight, relieved by the 6th South Staffordshires (Lister), we marched off after an issue of hot tea and rum to the assembly ground, leaving great coats behind and wearing fighting order.  On arrival we found that the Lincolnshires had been raided in their North end of Forgan’s trench a short time before, and, as there might still be some of the enemy