After this line had been taken the 29th Division was to pass through the 20th to a line north of Masnières and Marcoing. To prepare the way for this advance and to secure the right flank of the 29th Division the 59th Brigade was to move forward as soon as the second objective had been occupied in order both to seize the crossings of the canal between Masnières and Marcoing and to form a defensive flank by holding a line from Les Rues Vertes to the south for a distance of 2000 yards. For this purpose sixteen tanks from those allotted to the 61st Brigade were to be placed at the disposal of the 59th. Defensive flanks were to be formed by the 12th Division from the right of the 59th Brigade as far as Lateau Wood (inclusive) and by the 6th Division from the left flank of the 29th towards the south-west. During the night of the 19th/20th the infantry and tanks formed up about 1000 yards from the enemy’s wire. To help to drown the noise of the advancing tanks intermittent bursts of machine-gun fire were kept up throughout the night. By zero, 6.20 A.M. on the 20th, the dispositions were as follows: The 61st Brigade, under Brig.-General Banbury, held the right of the line, with the 7th Somerset L.I. (Lieut.-Colonel Troyte-Bullock) on the right and the 7th D.C.L.I. (Lieut.-Colonel Burges Short) on the left. The 12th King’s (Lieut.-Colonel Vince) on the right and the 7th K.O.Y.L.I. (Major Storr) on the left were in support. The 60th Brigade, under Brig.-General Duncan, held the left of the line with the 6th Oxford and Bucks L.I. (Lieut.-Colonel Boyle), in touch with the D.C.L.I. and the 12th K.R.R.C. (Lieut.-Colonel Moore), with their left on the railway just north-east of Villers Plouich. In support were the 6th K.S.L.I. (Lieut.-Colonel Welch) and the 12th R.B. (Lieut.-Colonel Riley). The 59th Brigade, under Brig.-General Hyslop, was concentrated in and about Gouzeaucourt. The Division was covered by two artillery groups. The Right Group, under Lieut.-Colonel Ricardo, consisted of the 92nd Brigade, the 232nd Brigade, and the 3rd Brigade R.H.A. The Left Group, under Lieut.-Colonel Erskine, consisted of the 91st Brigade, the 178th Brigade, and the 15th Brigade R.H.A. The first wave of tanks moved forward at 6.10 A.M., and at 6.20 the barrage opened along the whole front.