At 8 45 a.m. the front line Companies reported that the enemy was advancing, and the S.O.S. went up from the Companies and Battalion Headquarters (SOUTHMOOR VILLA), though doubts were freely expressed as to the rockets being seen on account of the thick fog, which was accentuated by the smoke and dust of the bombardment; they were seen, however, and the artillery and machine gun barrages opened promptly. From this time onwards till midnight savage fighting went on in the front line system.
The German Divisional orders, captured during the course of the day, showed that the 4th Ersatz Division, which had been made up to strength and re-equipped, had been brought into the line for the purpose of making this attack. This Division had been specially selected for this attack, as it had for many months held the GIVENCHY—FESTUBERT front and was supposed to know the ground well. It was strengthened with storm-troops and heavy machine guns. The general plan was to attack the GIVENCHY salient on the flanks, striking towards WINDY CORNER on the north, and forwards and through SPOIL BANK to PONT FIXE on the south; each of these attacks was to be carried out by one Regiment of three Battalions, strengthened with storm-troops and heavy machine guns.
On reaching the objectives WINDY CORNER and PONT FIXE, these two attacks were to join hands, and thus cut off the main GIVENCHY position.
No direct frontal attack was to be made across the craters, but machine guns were to be mounted on the commanding crests which were to engage the garrison while the encircling attacks were in progress.
One Battalion of the northern attack had orders on gaining the position WINDY CORNER-LE PLANTIN SOUTH to turn north along the FESTUBERT VILLAGE line and clean up in co-operation with an attack by one Battalion of the Reserve Regiment.
As soon as these actions had been successful, a general advance was to be made on GORRE.
The attacking Boche had been carefully instructed that “the 55th Division is a tired Division, only fit to hold a quiet section of the line.” Before nightfall he found out his mistake. Owing to the thick fog and the amount of wire, the fighting from the commencement of the Boche attack until the afternoon consisted of isolated fights carried on all over the area by small parties of Officers and men, but all acting on a preconceived plan.
The garrisons of the strong points located the enemy by means of patrols, so that when the fog lifted at about 11 a.m. they instantly opened heavy fire with rifles and machine guns.
The enemy succeeded in getting into one half of the concrete pill box in CAVAN LANE, but the crew fought him through the gas curtain while the machine gun continued its fire northwards with excellent results, until a counter-attack, led by Captain Lonsdale, M.C., from BUNNY HUTCH tunnel entrance, freed the crew.