The carefully planned and methodical assault had to give place to a more or less primitive _mêlée_ in which each Tank generally sought out and slew Germans wherever they might happen to find them. Though far from scientific, this method when allied with the _élan_ of the Canadian infantry proved highly successful. With the 3rd Corps the fighting was heavier, and more difficulty was experienced in advancing. The heavy Tanks and infantry, however, soon everywhere held the line whose capture was to mark the end of the first phase (_i.e._, Marcelcave, and the Cérisy Valley to south of Morlancourt). V The second phase of the attack, which started four hours after zero, was very different from the first. The mist which had hampered but concealed our approach had now given place to brilliant sunshine. The enemy had had ample warning and had time to dispose his “stout-hearted artillery and machine-gunners” to meet the advance. In these conditions his resistance stiffened. With the Australians,[71] “Enemy field batteries firing over open sights engaged and knocked out Tanks, some in the neighbourhood of Bayonvillers and near Cérisy Village. The crews were, however, in many cases able to move forward with their Hotchkiss guns and put the hostile batteries out of action. The surviving Tanks pressed on to the final objective, the Australian infantry being quick to seize the openings that had been made.” The final objective allotted to the 2nd Tank Battalion was Harbonnières Village. The machine-gun and artillery fire had been heavy. However, the first-wave Tanks rallied at the Cérisy Valley and with the rest of the Battalion launched the attack on the second objective. Lieut.-Colonel Bryce led his Tanks triumphantly to the successive capture of all the objectives allotted to them--Warfusée, Lamotte, Bayonvillers, and a number of other villages. At last they reached Harbonnières, their last objective, and, still on foot, Colonel Bryce entered the place with his leading Tanks and ran up an Australian flag over the village. In the naïve words of “Honours and Awards,” “This had a most stimulating effect on every one.” In the same sector, Lieutenant Percy Eade and his Tank (of the 2nd Battalion) appear to have captured a village single-handed, and, best of all, to have solemnly demanded a receipt upon handing it over to the Australians. [72]“During the attack on the 8th inst. this officer showed great initiative, skill and bravery in dealing with unexpected resistance by the enemy.