As this was the greatest battle in which the Division had yet been engaged, I shall here give in full the official account of the artillery action, as it was made out at the time by Capt. Lindsell, my Brigade Major.
20th November. From zero (6.20 a.m.) until the capture of the brown line the artillery action was in the nature of a set piece, the barrage being fired according to timetable as detailed. No modifications were found necessary.
10.30 a.m. The first artillery advance was ordered, 77th Brigade being directed to send forward one battery to the area north-east of Havrincourt Wood in support of the 185th Infantry Brigade.
10.40 a.m. Eight prisoners were captured by the advanced reconnoitring party of C/310.
10.50 a.m. The 5th Brigade R.H.A., having passed under the orders of the C.R.A. 62nd Division, was ordered to advance battery by battery to the east of Havrincourt, to support the advance of the 186th Infantry Brigade on Graincourt.
11.40 a.m. The 77th Brigade was ordered to advance complete to the south-west of Havrincourt to cover the line Graincourt—Factory on Bapaume-Cambrai road.
12 noon. The 310th Brigade was ordered to advance battery by battery to the east of Havrincourt to support, with 5th Brigade R.H.A., the further advance of the 186th Infantry Brigade.
2 p.m. The Divisional Artillery situation was as follows:
| 5th | Brigade | R.H.A. | East of Havrincourt, moving into action. |
| 310th | Brigade | R.F.A. | In column of route moving forward. |
| 77th | " | " | Two batteries in action south-west of |
| Havrincourt, and two moving into | |||
| action in the same area. | |||
| } Still in original positions, 93rd | |||
| 93rd | " | " | } and 153rd awaiting orders |
| 153rd | " | " | } from 36th Division, to whose |
| 312th | " | " | } command they had now passed. |
2 p.m. It was ascertained that the 51st Division (on our right) had not captured Flesquières. As this position exposed the right of the attack of the 62nd Division, the 310th Brigade were ordered back to their former positions; this order did not, however, take effect, as on receipt of later information they were allowed to continue their former movement.