II. 6th Battalion
At 2 a.m. on the former date the battalion, with the rest of the 37th Brigade, which, it may be remembered, was near Morlancourt, began to move into its assembly position, but at 3 o’clock a message came postponing the attack. This message reached the Queen’s and West Kent in time and these two units were stopped ere reaching their places, but the Buffs, having a longer approach to make subsequently, had to leave their assembly positions much earlier in order to get up to the artillery barrage. Thus it came to pass that the leading companies had already commenced operations when the important message came and it was impossible to stop them, so that the battalion had actually penetrated the enemy’s position at one point when the order for postponement reached it. These forward troops therefore detailed one platoon to occupy a quarry, which was handy, and from there cover the retreat of its comrades. Under cover of this platoon, the remainder withdrew to their assembly positions, but the men took with them a prisoner and a machine gun just to show where they had been. The covering platoon maintained its position. This little error cost one officer and forty men wounded.
The new zero hour was fixed for 5.30 p.m., at which time the Buffs were already in assembly position on the right of the line. The Queen’s and West Kent were to be in position at the zero hour to commence the assault fifty minutes later. The attack proceeded now according to plan, and at the correct moment the Queen’s and West Kent advanced co-operating with the Buffs. Considerable opposition was met with and a large number of Germans killed and taken prisoner. A quantity of machine guns and trench mortars and two 77-mm. cannon were captured. In fact, the whole thing was done in excellent order, and at eight in the evening all objectives were gained and outposts put out. This attack seems to have come as a surprise to the enemy, yet, owing to their numerous machine guns, our casualties were by no means light. The night was quiet, but at 3 o’clock next morning the Germans tried an attack with a few troops, but these were repulsed. The casualties of the Buffs consisted of Captain J. W. Laurie, Lieuts. V. W. J. Hobbs and R. J. Pavitt and 12 other ranks killed; 11 officers and 145 men wounded and 56 missing. With this loss the battalion alone was responsible for the capture of 340 prisoners, a battery of 4·2-in. howitzers, two minenwerfer, twelve machine guns, two 77-mm. guns and seven light minenwerfer.
During the 10th the enemy snipers were very active, and as our front consisted of a series of shell holes linked up, observation on the enemy’s part was fairly easy, and consequently any movements on our side very difficult and dangerous. Lieut. D. A. W. Hill (afterwards died of wounds), 2nd Lieut. Harris and five men were wounded on this day. The next few days were spent in this same locality, either in front line or support, and the shelling and sniping continued to be severe. There was a report on the 15th that the enemy was withdrawing, but patrols sent out soon found the falsity of this story. On the 20th the Buffs were in divisional reserve at Treux, on the Ancre, and next day were attached temporarily to the 35th Brigade, in order to take part with it in the grand attack on Albert planned for the 22nd, in which the 18th Division, with the 7th Battalion of the regiment, was also to be engaged.