A halt was made by the railway embankment to the east of the village. Rifles were piled, hot tea was served, and the men lay down to get what rest they could. As darkness fell the scene was one never to be forgotten--the long rows of piled arms, the hundreds of men lying around sleeping or talking in whispers, the occasional glimmer of a light. It was a scene such as one sees in pictures of old-time warfare, and perhaps nothing showed more plainly that the long wearisome days of trench warfare were past. The stars shone brightly overhead and, to complete the picture, a small group of Canadian machine gunners sang song after song in the gloom. (_b_) October 11th and After. About 8-0 p.m. the Commanding Officer was summoned to Brigade H.Q. He was away for about two hours and, on his return, all officers were summoned. By the light of three candles stuck in the ground, he marked upon each officer’s map the objectives and boundaries of the attack which was to be delivered the next morning, and then explained the plan of operations:-- 1. The Battalion was to assemble and dig in before dawn on the line of the Iwuy--Rieux Road, on a frontage of about 500 yards. The 7th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regt., with its right on the Naves--Villers-en-Cauchies Road, would attack on the Battalion’s right; the 146th Infantry Brigade on its left. 2. A Company was to be on the right and D Company on the left. B and C Companies were to be in support on the right and left respectively. 3. It was believed that the enemy was too shaken to put up a vigorous resistance. Hence it had been decided to attack without any artillery support. 4. At 9-0 a.m. the attack was to begin, the first objective being the railway line midway between Avesnes-le-Sec and Villers-en-Cauchies, and the second objective the high ground east of the La Selle River. The attack was part of a very big operation on a wide front and the task of the 49th Division was a most important one. Opposite to the Battalion’s front, with its crest line about a mile from the assembly position, lay a long ridge. This was held by the enemy. The Canadians were to make an attack on the ridge that very night. If they succeeded, the Battalion would advance through them the next morning, and the first part of its task would be easy. But if they failed, the ridge must be captured by the Battalion, on its way to the first objective. _The ridge must be taken at all costs._ This was the definite order of the Divisional Commander. It was a point of extreme tactical importance, and its possession by the enemy was holding up the whole flank of the attack. Such were the orders issued by the Commanding Officer.