2. No. 4 will carry this out to-night. Time given later. 3. Two Stokes guns and one Lewis gun will report to you about 9 P.M. to-night. The Stokes gun will be used previous to the attack. If possible a position will be chosen by O.C. No. 4 in readiness. 4. No. 3 Company will be in readiness to move up to No. 4 Company’s present position, and the route should be reconnoitred by daylight if possible. No. 2 Company will watch the left flank of No. 4. 5. No. 3 Company will detail small parties after dark to carry up fifty boxes of bombs from H.Q. to No. 4. A party will also be required to carry up S.A.A., but this will be called for when S.A.A. is available. 6. No. 2 Company will be prepared to dig through the sunken road and join up with the new left of No. 4. 7. O.C. No. 2 Company will send up one Lewis gun after dark to report to O.C. No. 4. 8. All companies will detail two men to report at H.Q. as guides for ration parties after dark. 9. O.C. Nos. 2 and 3 Companies will meet C.O. at H.Q. of No. 4 Company at 8.0. P.M. W. R. BAILEY, Captain and Adjutant, 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards. As it was known that the enemy held the point of the Ginchy orchard, and that they had machine-guns in the Ginchy――Flers sunken road, about four hundred yards north of that village, Captain G. Harcourt-Vernon, who commanded No. 4 Company, detailed two platoons under Second Lieutenant T. W. Minchin for the operation, while No. 2 was to protect their left flank and keep touch with them. Lieutenant M. H. Macmillan was ordered to bring up two platoons from No. 3 Company to support No. 4 Company and take over the line evacuated by Lieutenant Minchin’s platoons. The enterprise was difficult, as the left flank had to advance farther than the right in order to form a line facing north-east. By way of artillery preparation, thirty or forty shrapnel shells were fired at the German trench just north of the orchard, but this had the effect only of putting the enemy on his guard. Unfortunately, too, it was a bright moonlight night, and the attacking party showed up distinctly. The two platoons under Second Lieutenant Minchin advanced, and cleared the orchard of all Germans, in spite of a heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, which caused several casualties. Not content with this, they tried to push on farther, but were fiercely resisted by the Germans, and failed to make good any more ground. As it was imperatively necessary to have a trench dug before daylight, Second Lieutenant Minchin decided to hold a line on the edge of the orchard, and the trench was completed by the next morning. The task assigned to the party had been carried out, and there seemed no necessity to attempt anything further. That evening the following confidential message was received: