cipate the correct zero day, with the result that, on several
portions of this front, various reliefs were in process of taking
place at the actual time of the assault. The consequence was his
defence was thrown into a state of confusion, while the extra numbers
in the trench offered a double prey for the bayonets of our men, who
were not slow in seizing the chances thus afforded them.

The whole of the first objectives were quickly in our possession, as
well as the villages of Messines and Wytscheate, and there was a
slight pause to give a breathing space to the infantry, and to allow
time for the field guns to take up their allotted positions beyond the
recently captured enemy trenches, before entering upon the second and
final stage of the battle. When the creeping barrage, which had
remained stationary during this period, went forward once more, the
infantry encountered stronger opposition, but by this time the Tanks
were well up in support, and were instrumental in breaking up the
machine-gun nests and thus enabling the men to proceed up to schedule
time.

The enemy lost a number of field artillery pieces, but had taken the
precaution to withdraw most of the heavy ones several days before,
when our bombardment commenced. His shooting, therefore, was rather
wild and erratic, as he evidently had not had sufficient time to
register his guns properly in the new positions. The result was that,
fortunately for us, most of his energy was misplaced, and, for a
battle of this magnitude, the casualties were not as heavy as might
have been expected.

By early afternoon the final objectives were everywhere in our (p. 045)
hands, and the work of consolidating the fruitful gains that the
last few hours had yielded was immediately begun.

Several counter-attacks were attempted by the enemy, but were not
pushed with much vigour, and no success was secured in that direction:
our infantry remained firm and could not be dislodged.

Trenches were swiftly constructed, the work proceeding without
intermission, and by evening the men were, more or less, securely "dug
in," except in a few places where the line was slightly irregular, and
which was afterwards rectified by means of a small operation.

By the time the battle had finished we found ourselves the farthest
back Brigade in the line, the immense number of batteries which, at
the beginning, had been in our rear were now well in front of us, and
on this sector the Divisio