The country here was undulating and the soil well drained, and, except for a number of large and very dense woods, there were very few Tank obstacles. There were to be three objectives. The first was a line which ran through the Bois des Sauvillers, Adelpare Farm, and Les-Trois-Boqueleaux. Twelve Tanks and four Battalions of French infantry were detailed for its capture. The second objective included the clearing of the plateau to the north of the Bois des Sauvillers, and the capture of a corner of the Bois de Harpan. Twenty-four Tanks were allotted to this objective and four infantry Battalions. The third was a line of German posts, known as the “Blue Line,” covering the second objective, and was to be attacked by a strong force of infantry and all the surviving Tanks. The whole attack was to be preceded by a short intense bombardment, including heavy counter-battery work, and the creeping barrage was to consist of a mixture of high explosive and smoke. The Tanks were to attack in sections of three, two in front and one in immediate support, the infantry advancing in small groups close behind the Tanks. Three days before the battle the officers of the 9th Battalion and some of the Staff of the 5th Brigade came down to the battle site, and, helped by the Staff of the French 3rd Division, made a pretty thorough reconnaissance of the ground. That same evening the Tanks detrained at Contay. The 9th Battalion had been busy doing such tactical training as was possible with its new colleagues on the 5th Brigade training ground. The time was short and the difficulties of language great, but in spite of this a very friendly understanding had been come to. Besides this, it had had an unusual amount of trekking to do. It had had over eight miles to travel across country to its place of entrainment. From Contay, the rail terminus, the Tanks moved in all over another eight miles before they got into action. At ten o’clock on the night before the battle the Tanks were informed that the attack, which was to have been at dawn, was postponed until 5.30. By this time it would, the Tank crews somewhat ruefully reflected, be broad daylight. However, there was nothing to be done but to hope that the wind would help our smoke screens. The weather had for some time been fine, but on the morning of attack heavy rain began to fall, driven up by a south wind. The prospect of a really effective smoke cloud did not seem very great. However, it was in the best of fighting spirits that the Tanks and their infantry went forward at zero hour--indeed, though it was no walk-over and all arms suffered fairly heavily, high spirits seem to have particularly characterised both French and British in this battle. A member of the Tank Corps testifies naïvely to the way in which the Tanks had got their tails up.