"Progress was then continued along the trench, and a dug-out was found, but on examination it proved to be empty. Shortly after this some of the Centre Party were met and connection established.
"Just after the withdrawal signal had gone up—zero plus 22 minutes—two Germans were seen approaching the front line over the top from the direction of their support line. Shots were fired at them and they withdrew. It is not known whether either of them were shot.
"Parker's party then left the enemy trench, bringing with them a rifle and bayonet which were found in the trench.
"On the way back those men who had been hit on crossing No Man's Land were all brought in except one man, who could not be found. It is believed that this man was killed. On reaching our trenches it was found that another man was missing. He was last seen soon after leaving the enemy's trench.
"At zero plus 33 minutes the N.C.O. i/c Right Party observed one green light and one golden rain rocket fired apparently from the enemy's subsidiary line in C.23 or C.24.
"The trench is very deep and narrow, and no duck-boards were found.
"Centre (Clarke's) Party.—This party crossed No Man's Land in the order practised. They found the ground much torn up by shell-holes, over which it was impossible to proceed quickly. They found the gaps in the wire, but had to zig-zag a good deal to get through. There was a considerable quantity of cut wire lying about, which further delayed their progress. They entered the enemy's trench at about C.20.a.44.21 (i.e., about 30 yards farther to the right than had been intended).
"2nd-Lieutenant C. W. Clarke established telephone communication with O.C. Raid at zero plus 7½ minutes, and sent a message to the effect that his party 'had entered enemy's trench.'
"The trench was deep, and in getting in the leading man stumbled and lost his rifle, which he was unable to find in the darkness. Thereupon another bayonet man was brought up to take his place. The first party then proceeded along the trench to the right, and immediately found a dug-out, into which a bomb was thrown. After the bomb had exploded the dug-out was entered and two dead Germans found. An effort was made to tear a button off the tunic of one of those men, but it was on too tight. At this moment a scuffle was going on outside the dug-out with a Hun who had come running down the trench, shouting 'Surrender,' and our man inside the dug-out hurried out to see what was happening, and picked up a German rifle on his way. The Hun was placed in charge of two men, to be passed out of the trench as soon as the two men waiting on the parapet had been called to the spot. Whilst the two men were holding the prisoner, one of them was wounded and let go. The prisoner thereupon wrenched himself free from the other man and escaped to the left. One of our men chased him along the trench, but, going over strange ground, was unable to catch him; he came to a communication trench (Centaur Lane), and, hearing footsteps, threw a bomb into this trench. As by this time the withdrawal signal had gone up, he withdrew and joined his own party.