"September 2nd, 1918."
Hearty congratulations on our success were received both from the Commander-in-Chief and from our more immediate Commanders.
In this action, in addition to the rewards already mentioned, Captain Williams and Lieutenant Harris were awarded the Military Cross, and twelve men the Military Medal.
The next morning the Battle of Cambrai and the Hindenburg Line opened with a general attack by the Third Army; and before nightfall we were three miles behind the front line, the 172nd Brigade of our Division and the 63rd Division having passed through us. We had a magnificent view of the battle, and the sight of our artillery galloping up and opening fire was a most welcome reminder of the new type of warfare which was now taking the place of the old. After one peaceful day we were ordered, on September 3rd, to concentrate in the vicinity of Hendecourt, where the rear headquarters, transport, and "nucleus party" joined us.
Here we remained quietly, cleaning up and training, till September 6th, the only excitement being a high velocity gun which shelled us on that day, wounding two men.
This day we received orders to move into the line in the vicinity of Inchy the next day (September 7th), in order to relieve the 190th Brigade, of the 63rd Division. Accordingly, at 10 a.m. our advance party set off to the trenches, followed in the evening by the rest of the battalion.
The Royal Fusiliers, from whom we took over, were in support, and the relief was complete at 2 a.m. on September 9th. The rear headquarters and transport meantime moved to Quéant. Nothing of any moment happened this day in the line. We were issued with a defence scheme, from which we learnt that the Guards Division were on our right and the 2nd Canadian Division on our left; while we were to be responsible for the main line of resistance, a section of the Hindenburg Support Line about 1,200 yards in extent running round the south-west outskirts of Inchy. "A," "D," and "C" Companies were in front, and "B" in support. The other two battalions were responsible for the temporary main line of resistance, east of Inchy.
