At 10.5 A.M. the G.O.C. Sirhind Brigade reported that owing to rain the trenches were full of water and the parapets much damaged, and that in consequence of reliefs of Second Division his men had been on the move all night, and that his casualties during the past twenty-four hours had been severe. He added that his battalions in the front line were somewhat shaken, and he considered it essential to relieve the 15th Sikhs by the 1st Gurkhas that night, as they were now reduced to about 250 men. He also recommended that the King’s should be relieved, and stated that he hardly thought an attack could be got out of his men that night. At 6 P.M. the Germans made another attempt to bomb the left flank of Sirhind Brigade, but this attack was stopped. On the top of all this orders were received from the First Army that the Indian Corps was, at all costs, to capture certain named trenches and points by the morning of 22nd May. During the night 19th-20th the Garhwal Brigade relieved Bareilly Brigade, and certain interbattalion reliefs desired by G.O.C. Sirhind Brigade were also carried out. The situation remained normal during the night. On the morning of the 20th May I visited General Anderson’s Headquarters and discussed the operations for the capture of the Ferme du Bois which had been ordered by First Army. This was to co-ordinate with the general plan, viz. that the Canadian and Highland Divisions should work southwards and secure the group of houses south of the Ferme Cour d’Avoué, and that the Indian Corps was to carry on active hostilities continuously, with a view to harassing the enemy and wearing down his resistance. The orders issued by the Meerut Division were to the effect that the Sirhind Brigade as a first objective was to secure named localities about the Ferme du Bois before the morning of 22nd May, and that every endeavour was to be made to carry out this order. The G.O.C. Sirhind Brigade accordingly arranged that the 1st Gurkhas should establish themselves in a named trench overnight, and that patrols were to push on to the Ferme du Bois. Special patrols were also to be sent out to ascertain the nature of obstacles parallel to our front; forming-up trenches were to be dug for the assaulting battalions, and the 4th King’s were to be relieved. During the night a thorough reconnaissance of the position was carried out and a picquet was established by the Sirhind Brigade 200 yards west of the Ferme du Bois. Operation orders were telephoned to the Meerut Division. The arrangements were as follows: General Alderson’s force (Canadians, etc.) was to co-operate by carrying out an intensive bombardment on Cour d’Avoué on 22nd May.