near the trench, “D” Company were ordered to form up in it, instead of on the top.  It was not a dark night, and had we been seen assembling all would have been lost.  There was some scattered shelling, and Lieut.  Brodribb, commanding “A” Company, was wounded in the leg.  He had it dressed at the R.A.P., and, finding he could still walk, rejoined his Company before the advance began.  In absolute silence we lay in shell holes waiting for Zero.  A mist had started to blow up from the valley, and the Battalion was almost invisible.  Here and there a few heads, the muzzle of a Lewis gun, the end of a stretcher might be seen just above the ground, and occasionally one could see the tall figure of Capt.  Tomson, imperturbable as ever, walking quietly round his Company with a word of encouragement for all.  As the time went on, the mist became thicker and thicker, and by 4-50 a.m. platoons and Companies were unable to see each other.  The shelling had ceased, it was very quiet.

Punctually at 5-0 a.m. the barrage opened, and the advance started.  The timing of the Artillery was perfect and, with the road to guide them, “A” Company on the right swept across the Bellenglise road, keeping close to the barrage.  By 5-14 a.m.  No. 1 Platoon (Quint), which was leading, was ready for the right turn.  The rest of this Company followed, and, though No. 4 Platoon (Dennis) slightly lost direction for a time, they soon regained their place, so that the whole Company was ready to turn together.  It was still half dark, and, as we had feared, the smoke barrage blew across and shrouded us in a thick blanket of fog.  During their advance, “A” Company had found the machine gun and rifle fire very hot from their left flank, apparently from Forgan’s trench, and had already lost Serjt.  P. Bowler, who was killed outright.  They had met no enemy outside the village, and could not see more than a few yards through the smoke.  The other Companies were out of sight.

Turning into Pontruet, “A” Company found it full of the enemy.  Odd lengths of trenches here and there, cellars in every direction were filled with bombers and machine gun teams, some facing West, others, who had realised our intentions, facing East.  Led by Lieut.  Brodribb and their platoon commanders, “A” Company dashed in with the bayonet.  Here and there a bomb was thrown down a cellar, or a Lewis gun turned against some party which resisted, but for the most part the bayonet was the weapon of the day.  The enemy were scattered, a few tried to fight, but large numbers were killed trying to escape, while 120 were captured, and 50 more driven into the Sherwood Foresters’ lines.  The work on the North side was the easiest.  Here, small parties led by 2nd Lieut.  Dennis, who was slightly wounded, C.S.M.  Wardle, Serjt.  Toon, and others carried all before them, cleared the lower road and the cemetery, and formed up outside the N.W. corner, where they were joined by their Company Commander.