3. For purposes of this operation the four platoons of each company were known as W, X, Y, Z. Their respective duties were as follows:—“W” platoon was to seize the position in the enemy front line and cover it during consolidation; “X” platoon was to consolidate and garrison the post; “Y” platoon was to carry the necessary ammunition and stores across No Man’s Land; “Z” platoon was to garrison the old British front line during the operation.

4. Additional parties, provided by the 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regt., were to dig three communication trenches across No Man’s Land to connect the new posts with the old front line. These trenches were to be named “Halifax,” “Brighouse” and “Hull.” “Cleckheaton” had been suggested as one of the names, but was vetoed on the ground that the artillery would never understand it; hence the introduction of “Hull,” which was not thought to be beyond the intellect of the gunners.

5. The whole operation was to be carried out in one night.

When the Battalion took over the Cordonnerie Sector a second time the necessary preparations were started at once. One of the most important of these preliminary arrangements was the preparation of dumps of all necessary stores in the front line. To carry this out Capt. H. Hanson was attached to Battalion H.Q., and very hard he worked, perspiring freely in the sweltering weather, and often pushing trucks on the light railway, and carrying stores himself.

The night of June 15/16th had been fixed for the operation, and all was ready. But, in the early morning of June 15th, the orders were suddenly cancelled and the Battalion was warned to be ready for relief that night. What would have been the success of the operation, had it been carried out, can hardly be said. Judging from previous reconnaissance of the front, it is probable that C Company would have established its post without difficulty, and that B Company would also have succeeded though it might have had to fight; A Company’s task would, almost certainly, have proved the hardest, and it is doubtful whether its post could have been founded at all.

The Battalion was relieved on the night of June 15/16th by the 2/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regt., which had returned from the fighting near Messines, and marched straight through to billets at Estaires. A very pleasant three weeks had been spent in the sector, there had been very few casualties, and the Battalion took away with it the best of wishes from the 170th Infantry Brigade as the following letter from the G.O.C. shows:—

H.Q., 170th Inf. Bde.,

June 15th, 1917.

My Dear Sugden,

I should like you and all your battalion to know how sorry we are to part with you. I have not met a better organised battalion nor one in which work was more thoroughly and quietly done. You gave us a taste of your fighting qualities on Trinity Sunday and I am disappointed indeed that circumstances prevent you gaining the honourable distinction that your proposed operations would undoubtedly have conferred on you and your gallant fellows. At any rate your very complete preparations for them will give us valuable assistance in the future.