After careful consideration the enemy front line, immediately to the west of the Wailly-Ficheux Road, was selected as the objective for the raid. No Man’s Land was thoroughly reconnoitred by Battalion H.Q. scouts. The operation was fixed for the evening of February 17th, and was planned to take place as follows:—
1. Zero hour was fixed for 10-0 p.m. Fifteen minutes before zero the raiders were to be assembled in No Man’s Land, along the bank by the Russian sap, divided into the following parties:
| (a) Right Flank Party. | Sec.-Lieut. R. C. Purvis and 12 other ranks. |
| (b) Left Flank Party. | Sergt. G. Moscrop and 12 other ranks. |
| (c) Communication Trench Party. | Sec.-Lieut. E. V. Blakey and 12 other ranks. |
| (d) Dugout Clearing Party. | Sec.-Lieut. A. Butler and 15 other ranks. (Sub-divided into two parties under the officer and Sergt. F. Johnson respectively.) |
| (e) Parapet Party. | Capt. J. G. Mowat and 14 other ranks. |
| (f) Bangalore Torpedo Party. | Sec.-Lieut. W. L. Hirst and 5 other ranks. |
2. At 10-0 p.m. a heavy shrapnel barrage would open on the enemy front line, from point A to point B (see map). After four minutes it would gradually open out to form a box barrage round the objective. Meanwhile, the enemy front line on both flanks, and all communication trenches and ground in the vicinity, were to be swept by artillery, trench-mortar, machine and Lewis gun fire.
3. The Bangalore Torpedo Party was to advance, immediately under the barrage, and blow a gap in the wire at point C. The other parties were to follow, in order as above, pass through the gap, and enter the enemy line.
4. Parties (a) and (b) were to move along the trench towards the right and left respectively, approach as near to the barrage as possible, and cover the flanks of the operation. Party (c) was to move down the enemy communication trench from point C, and establish a block in it. Thus protected, party (d) was to secure identification and do as much damage to the enemy trenches as possible.
5. Capt. J. G. Mowat, with party (e), was to remain on the parapet. Signallers were to run a telephone wire across No Man’s Land so that he would be in direct communication with Battalion H.Q. When he considered that nothing further could be done, he was to give the recall signal and supervise the withdrawal.
6. The assembly was to be covered by fighting patrols, sent out by the 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regt., then holding the line.
At length February 17th arrived, and, in the evening, the raiders began to move up to their positions. All were assembled, according to plan, before zero. Apart from an enemy searchlight, which swept No Man’s Land during the assembly but did not reveal the men to the Germans, the preliminaries passed off without incident. Just before the barrage opened, Sec.-Lieut. W. L. Hirst advanced with his torpedo party. The torpedo was a cumbersome affair, twenty-two feet long, which required three men to carry it. As the party moved forward it laid out a tape, to show the direction to the raiders. The barrage had now opened, the enemy was thoroughly aroused, and the flares which he was firing considerably helped the party, as it hurried forward. The barrage was excellent. On reaching the enemy wire, the men pushed the torpedo well in, though not without difficulty, for it was heavy and the wire was very thick. They then withdrew, except the officer and one Royal Engineer who remained to light the fuse. As soon as this had been done, the two rushed back about thirty yards and threw themselves flat on the ground. Almost at the same moment the torpedo exploded with a terrific crash.
Meanwhile, the raiders, in column of parties, had advanced to a position about forty yards from the enemy wire. Immediately the torpedo exploded they rushed forward, only to find that much of the wire still remained uncut. Capt. Mowat, Sergt. Moscrop and others flung themselves upon it. Slashing at it with bill-hooks, and hurling great chevaux-des-frises to one side, they forced a passage. Sergt. Moscrop was the first to enter the trench, and he was quickly followed by all the men of the flanking parties. By 10-6 p.m. every man was in the trench and at work.