ombardment annihilated the garrisons of the forward system, and
few survivors came back to the reserve line.

The only authenticated accounts of a successful resistance in the
front system were from the 71st Infantry Brigade, where both 9th
Norfolks and 2nd Sherwood Foresters repulsed the first attack. By
10.30 a.m. the enemy had nearly reached Noreuil and had driven back
the 59th Division on our left, leaving the left flank of the 16th
Infantry Brigade in the air, while its right flank went shortly
afterwards, as the enemy captured Lagnicourt, driving in the Sherwood
Foresters in the valley. The 16th Infantry Brigade was gradually
squeezed out towards the corps line, where at 4 p.m. parties from the
Divisional Bombing School counter-attacked and drove the enemy out of
trenches on the immediate left. The 71st Infantry Brigade, with its
right flank secure, threw back a defensive flank south-west of
Lagnicourt, and successfully prevented issue from that village to the
high ground. The enemy broke into Skipton Reserve Strong Point, but
were thrown out again by a counter-attack of Norfolks and Leicesters.

Coming up a subsidiary valley the enemy nearly drove a wedge between
71st and 18th Infantry Brigades, but the 2nd D.L.I. counter-attacked
gallantly and kept them out till dusk. On the right of the 18th
Infantry Brigade, however, the enemy advanced up the Morchies Valley,
capturing the left trenches of the 51st Division on our right at about
10 a.m.

The 2nd West Yorks, reinforced by two companies 11th Essex, gallantly
led by Lt.-Col. Boyall, D.S.O., who was subsequently wounded and
captured, drove back three attacks issuing from our support line. The
18th Infantry Brigade held on till 7 p.m. when, in trying to withdraw,
it suffered heavy casualties. The last company was not overwhelmed
till 8.30 p.m. The 18th and 71st Infantry Brigades, therefore,
maintained their hold on the ground Lagnicourt and the Morchies Valley
all day, though the enemy had penetrated far in rear on both flanks.

When darkness fell the remnants of the Division were back in the corps
line, together with three battalions of the 75th Infantry Brigade
(25th Division), the remaining troops of the Division not being
strong enough to hold the line unaided. The 11th Cheshires were with
18th Infantry Brigade, 2nd South Lancs with 71st Infantry Brigade, and
8th Border Regiment with 16th Infantry Brigade.

The night was quiet, both sides preparing for the