"Walter Braithwaite,
"Major-General."
On the 23rd, 24th and 25th November attacks were continued by the 40th Division against Bourlon Wood, which ended in the gaining of a firm footing in its southern outskirts. I received a letter from the G.O.C. 40th Division expressing his thanks "for the excellent and untiring support which the 62nd Divisional Artillery gave to the infantry under his command" on these days.
On Sunday the 25th the 62nd Division was ordered back into the line, much to our surprise, in relief of the 40th Division, which had suffered heavily in its severe three days' fight. Our orders were to capture Bourlon Wood, and we had the support of the following artillery in addition to our own: 5th Brigade R.H.A., 77th, 178th, and 181st Brigade R.F.A., and the 87th Heavy Artillery group.
Divisional headquarters moved forward into the Park of Havrincourt Chateau.
The attack was made at 6.20 a.m. on the 27th under a rolling barrage, and resulted in the capture of almost the whole of Bourlon Wood, the highest piece of ground for miles round. Our losses were very heavy, but the success was a most important one, and in the battle our tired Division met and shattered a division of Prussian Guards which had to be withdrawn from the line after only 24 hours in action.
Lieut. E. E. C. Lintern was wounded on the 25th, and for gallant services on the 21st and 22nd, Major E. W. F. Jephson won a bar to his Military Cross, and Lieut. N. Hess was awarded the Military Cross. The same honour was gained by Lieut. J. B. Boden and Lieut. P. C. Furlong for the following acts:
"On the 23rd November, Lieut. Boden, finding a disabled enemy field gun in a forward position, fitted the breech mechanism of another gun to it, and brought it into action in the open. He fired about 60 rounds with excellent effect, though under heavy fire, and in full view of the enemy."
"On the 25th November, when one of his guns blew up while his battery was in action, Lieut. Furlong collected the detachment who were suffering from shell shock, got them under cover, and steadied the detachments at the other guns, under heavy shell fire."
On the night of the 28th our infantry was relieved by the 47th Division. On this day and on the 29th there was a great increase of activity on the part of the enemy's artillery, and it became evident that he had been strongly reinforced.
At 8.45 a.m. on the 30th the enemy launched a very formidable counter attack, pouring his infantry forward in great masses and with the most desperate determination, supported by a tremendous artillery fire of high explosive and gas shell. As the hostile infantry appeared over the crest of the hill, to the west of Bourlon Wood, they were engaged with direct fire by our field artillery, which swept through and raked the advancing masses again and again, inflicting the most appalling losses upon them. The most desperate fighting went on all day, and at one time my two most forward batteries, A/312 and D/312, were within a few hundred yards of the Boche infantry. Batteries have seldom been given such excellent targets of massed infantry in the open as offered themselves that day to nearly all my batteries, and full advantage was taken of the opportunity. At 4 p.m., when darkness came on, the enemy had made no progress against our corps front, the most determined attacks of four German divisions, with three others in support, having been utterly crushed by the unconquerable resistance of the three British Divisions in the line. To quote from the official account issued by the General Staff: