At 7.45 A.M. on the 23rd the 12th King’s were sent back to positions guarding Cugny. At 11.30 A.M. came the serious news that the Germans were advancing on both flanks. On the right they were reported to be approaching Cugny from the east, on the left they had broken through at Ham and were advancing south on Brouchy. Here they were held up by the 36th Division, which formed a defensive flank on the line Brouchy--Golancourt, and also sent up troops to fill the gap between that line and the left of the 61st Brigade on the Somme Canal. Near Cugny a company of the 12th King’s, supported by three platoons of the 11th D.L.I., beat off an attack and drove the enemy back into the woods east of the village. The remaining platoon of the 11th D.L.I. was last seen advancing to support another company of the 12th King’s. During this fighting, Lieut.-Colonel Vince, commanding the 12th King’s, was killed. During the morning the enemy forced the passage of the canal at Jussy, on the front of the 14th Division. This completely turned the flank of the three companies of the 7th Somerset L.I. on the canal bank. “A” Company was in reserve and was then the only company in touch with battalion headquarters, which had moved back, by order of the Brigade Commander, to the railway west of Annois, so as to be in more direct communication with Brigade Headquarters at Eaucourt. “A” Company endeavoured to form a defensive flank between battalion headquarters and the companies on the canal, but owing to the fog and marshy ground this was found to be impossible. The three companies on the canal were eventually surrounded, but they fought on until all ammunition and bombs were spent before the survivors fell into the hands of the enemy. Battalion headquarters and “A” Company fell back fighting, with both flanks turned, and joined the headquarters and one company of the 7th D.C.L.I., who by this time were on the railway embankment south of Ollezy. During this fighting, Lieut.-Colonel Troyte-Bullock, their commanding officer, had been badly wounded. At the time when the enemy broke through at Jussy the 7th D.C.L.I. were disposed as follows: one company, with the attached company of the 12th King’s, was holding the Somme Canal north of Ollezy; one company was east of Ollezy, supporting the left company of the Somersets; one company and battalion headquarters were on the railway embankment south of Ollezy; the company which had returned from fighting with the 14th Division was posted south-east of Ollezy, south of the railway.