The remaining part of Eagle Trench had still to be captured. With this object an attack, in which two tanks were to precede a party of infantry, was ordered to be carried out on the 22nd. The tanks stuck in Langemarck, so the operation was postponed till the morning of the 23rd. At the same time an alternative plan was prepared to be carried out in the event of the tanks remaining derelict. As the tanks were unable to move forward in time to take part in the attack at 5.30 A.M., the alternative plan was put into operation at the last moment, and zero put forward to 7 A.M. These orders provided for a three-minute bombardment by Stokes guns and a smoke barrage, followed by a bombing attack up the trenches from the south and north covered by a barrage of rifle grenades, and an assault above ground from the west. Detachments of the 12th K.R.R.C. and the 10th R.B. were to carry out this operation. The Stokes bombardment was timed to begin at 7 A.M. At 6.25 the enemy attacked the 60th Brigade, but was driven off by rifle and machine-gun fire, leaving 23 prisoners behind. This in no way disorganised the preparations for the attack, which started punctually at 7 o’clock. After a very effective bombardment by the Stokes mortars, the bombing parties worked their way inwards from the flanks, the 12th K.R.R.C. from the south, the 10th R.B. from the north, covered by a rifle grenade barrage. While the enemy was engaged with these parties, one company of the 10th R.B. assaulted Eagle Trench from the west, and after a short and sharp fight, carried it. The attack took place practically in broad daylight, and came as a complete surprise to the enemy, who had just “stood down.” The bombers did their work well, and the frontal attack was splendidly carried out by Capt. T. G. L. Ashwell, who won the M.C. Our casualties were not heavy, but the enemy left 94 prisoners and 10 machine guns in our hands. In the fighting for Eagle Trench 2nd Lieut. Allan, A/91 Battery, gained a bar to his M.C., and 2nd Lieut. Robinson, C/91, won the M.C. The latter was very badly wounded, and completely lost his sight. The stretcher bearers, working under the 60th Field Ambulance, had more casualties in this action than in the battle of Langemarck. Again, their task was a severe one, as the Decauville line was broken too often to be of much use, but by their untiring efforts all the wounded were cleared without a hitch. As an example of what was done, 24 bearers at Gallwitz Farm carried back 142 stretcher cases in 24 hours.