About 10.30 A.M., the 8th Division asked for machine-gun fire to be opened on its flank. During the afternoon it seemed to have difficulty in holding the line it had gained, and the 61st Brigade and the guns in support of it assisted by bringing artillery and machine-gun fire to bear on parts of the enemy line near Bas Maisnil. About half-past four a counter attack drove back the 8th Division troops, who were reported at 6.40 P.M. to be again holding their original line. On the right of the 20th Division two battalions of the 60th Brigade were able to advance. Astride the Winchester road the German line ran out into a sharp salient, protruding into a wider re-entrant in our own line. Opposite the north face of this salient, a sap had been dug for a short distance out from the 60th Brigade trenches. It was intended in the case of an advance of our troops, to continue this sap through to the German line and make a fire trench of it, so connecting up the line already held with the ground newly won. Zero was fixed at 5.50 A.M. on the 25th. Two minutes before this a mine was exploded in the enemy salient, and at zero the final bombardment of the enemy line began. Six minutes later the smoke barrage was started all along the front of the Division. This was effected by means of smoke candles lighted on the parapet, or by phosphorus bombs and grenades of all descriptions thrown by catapults and trench mortars. At 6 A.M. the Bareilly and Gharwal Brigades attacked. The smoke barrages possibly helped the brigades on the right to advance, but made it very difficult to observe from our line what was going on. About 7 A.M., however, the troops of the Meerut Division were known to be making good progress, and at their request orders were issued at 7.30 A.M. for the 12th R.B. to advance and connect up with the left of the Bareilly Brigade. “D” Company of the 12th R.B. was ordered into the fire trench to prepare for assault, with “B” and “C” in support, while “A” Company was detailed to work on the sap. The actual order to assault was sent to “D” Company at 8.10 A.M. but telephone communication with the front line had broken down, and the message had to go by orderly and so did not arrive till 8.25 A.M. when the assault began. By this time the smoke barrages had cleared and all companies, especially those in support, as they appeared in the open, suffered heavy casualties both from shelling and from rifle and machine-gun fire which enfiladed them from the left. All three companies were across by 9.30 A.M., and once they had gained the enemy’s trenches they met with little immediate opposition, and began to consolidate a line running north and east of Mauquissait. They gained touch with the left of the Bareilly Brigade and bombers were pushed forward along the enemy trenches.