By the morning of the 30th the Divisional front was held by two brigades, the 59th, which after seven days in reserve had just relieved the 60th, on the right, and the 61st on the left. None of the battalions had a fighting strength of over 400, and some of them well under 300. The front line from right to left was held by the 10th K.R.R.C., the 11th K.R.R.C., the 12th King’s and the 7th Somerset L.I. In support were the 10th R.B. in a ravine about 1500 yards south of Les Rues Vertes and the 7th D.C.L.I. at the northern end of the La Vacquerie valley, 1500 yards south of the canal. The 11th R.B., 800 yards north-east of La Vacquerie, and the 7th K.O.Y.L.I., were in reserve. The commanding officers of some battalions were sent back for a rest, as it was considered a good opportunity for their seconds in command to get some useful experience. On the 29th the 61st Brigade was ordered to take over next day another 1000 yards of front on the right. This all points to the fact that no counter attack was expected at this time. The relief of the 60th by the 59th Brigade Headquarters was not complete when the Germans launched their great counter attack. Brig.-General Duncan therefore commanded the 59th Brigade throughout the operation, and the 60th Brigade fought under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel Troyte Bullock (7th Somerset L.I.), who was temporarily filling the place of Brig.-General Hyslop. The latter brigade was in reserve at Villers Plouich. At 7 A.M. on the 30th the enemy opened a bombardment on the front of the 55th and 12th Divisions on the right. This spread to the 20th Division about 7.30, when three barrages, which included smoke and mustard-gas shells, fell simultaneously between the outpost line and the sunken road from La Vacquerie to Masnières. The infantry attack in the same manner developed from the south, the 55th and the 12th Divisions having been heavily engaged for some time, when at 8 A.M. the Germans advanced on the whole of the 20th Divisional front.