hich caused me to extend
my platoon the account goes on to say:

"This fire was so heavy that it not only inflicted severe casualties,
but caused confusion in the shaking out into extended order, and it is
to be believed that from this moment the correct formation was never
absolutely regained. Machine-gun fire was active chiefly from Wine
House, Spree Farm, parts of Capricorn Support and Capricorn Keep, Pond
Farm, Hindu Cot and other points. Seeing that they could not advance
till these points were dealt with, the commanders of the leading waves
took steps to take the first points, such as Wine House, Spree Farm,
Capricorn Support. These were dealt with at considerable loss, some
enemy being captured, some killed and some running away. It was
difficult to obtain a definite account of all the incidents that
happened before the Black Line was reached, but great gallantry was
shown by the officers and N.C.O.'s in rallying and leading the men in
face of heavy fire. The Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Colonel B.
Best-Dunkley, put himself at the head of all men in his immediate
vicinity, and led them on through intense machine-gun fire. Ultimately
the Black Line was reached. The casualties up to this point may be
estimated at anything up to 50 per cent of the total strength of the
Battalion. However, the advance had to continue and that quickly, as it
was impossible to wait to reorganize under the heavy fire; moreover, the
advance was timed to a programme of artillery. The advance to the Green
Line, the Gravenstafel Switch, 6,000 yards from our original front line,
therefore continued. Few details necessarily are obtainable owing to the
heavy casualties. The creeping barrage, not a heavy one, certainly not
sufficient to deal with the country up to the Green Line, had run away
from us. Many more casualties were suffered, but the Battalion
eventually reached its objective. Digging in and consolidation at once
commenced. Captain J. R. Bodington, commanding left Company, reached
Wurst Farm with ten men, this number being shortly reduced by casualties
to two. The Green Line had only been in our possession for about twenty
minutes when the first enemy counter-attack, consisting of two
companies, commenced. This came from a north-easterly direction,
sweeping across the front of the division on our left. It was very
determined, as the division on our left had not been able to get up; our
left flank was quite unprotected.

"An attempt