The captures during the period were 10 officers, 372 other ranks, 4 guns, 15 trench-mortars, and 53 machine-guns.
During the relief by the French a noteworthy incident occurred. The 2nd Brigade, R.F.A., were asked to fire a barrage to cover an advance of French infantry at a certain hour, and did so. Just after completion a message arrived saying that the attack had been postponed, and would the brigade repeat the operation very shortly at another hour which was fixed. This the brigade did, clearing to absolutely the last shell the ammunition available on the ground and completing the barrage at the same moment.
During the fighting in September the Division had "B" and "C" Companies, 2nd Life Guards Machine-gun Battalion, at its disposal, and these fine troops helped much in the machine-gun barrage, and added confidence that any counter-attack on the right would meet with a hot reception.
While the 6th Division had been fighting on the right of the British Army, the 46th Division, with the Americans on their left and the 1st Division forming a defensive flank on their right, had broken the Hindenburg Line on 29th September by a magnificent attack. Followed across the canal by the 32nd Division, these two divisions had very severe fighting at Ramicourt and Sequehart and were exhausted. The 6th Division, after four days to rest and absorb reinforcements, was ordered to relieve them and attack on the 8th October in the direction of the small town of Bohain. The 30th American Division was on the right and about 2,000 yards ahead, connected to the 6th Division by a series of posts along the railway. This curious position entailed a very complicated creeping barrage, which, however, was successfully put into operation on the day of the attack. On the right was the French 42nd Division slightly in rear, having followed the Germans through St. Quentin and met with strong resistance beyond it. The position to be attacked consisted of high rolling downs with deep traverse valleys, giving good cover for supports and forward guns, and on the right a broad longitudinal valley closed by a ridge on which stood the village of Méricourt. The French had a stiff task in front of them, and did not propose to advance as far as the British--6,000 yards--with the result that even if they were successful our frontage, thrown back from left to right, would be 7,500 yards, and if unsuccessful over 10,000. Added to this their zero hour was nearly an hour after ours, and there would be a very real danger of counter-attack from the right. The Divisional Commander, therefore, decided to leave the valley severely alone to start with, merely smoking by guns and bombs from aeroplanes the Méricourt Ridge and attacking all along the high ground on the north. As our attack and the French attack progressed the valley was to be cleared by three whippet tanks supported by the 1st Battalion West Yorks, lent to the 16th Infantry Brigade, while finally an attack from the high ground against the Méricourt Ridge would be delivered with a view to cutting off posts in the valley between the two attacks. The 139th Infantry Brigade of the 46th Division remained in position at Sequehart, together with two companies Life Guards Machine-gun Battalion, to secure the right flank against counter-attack. The machine-gun nests on the Sequehart-Méricourt road enfiladed the start line of the 6th Division, and the G.O.C., 139th Infantry Brigade (Brig-Gen. J. Harington), was asked to capture these just before the general attack. The 46th Divisional Pioneer Battalion (1/1st Monmouthshire Regiment) undertook this task, and twice attacked the position but without success, in spite of the greatest gallantry. The Commanding Officer (Col. Jenkins) and his Adjutant were both unfortunately killed. Their bravery, however, was well rewarded, as their action enabled the 6th Divisional troops to work round and cut the position off, and the enemy eventually surrendered.
The weight of artillery for the operations of the 8th October was immense. In addition to the Divisional artillery there were the 5th and 16th Brigades, R.H.A., 161st, 168th, 230th, 231st, 232nd Brigades, R.F.A., and the 14th and 23rd Army Brigades, R.F.A. Only a part of these fired the creeping barrage, the 6th Divisional Artillery, the 5th Brigade, R.H.A., and the 232nd Brigade, R.F.A., moving forward as the infantry attack progressed to new positions, so as to support exploitation and give protection against counter-attack. The attack was launched at 5.30 a.m. The 16th Infantry Brigade on the right next to the valley, and the 71st Infantry Brigade on the left next to the Americans, both made excellent way, the former capturing the very strong Mannikin Hill position, and the latter the formidable Doon Mill and Doon Copse position, and making a good haul of machine-guns.
As had been anticipated the French had been held up by Bellicourt Farm on their left, and the 16th Infantry Brigade suffered a good deal from machine-gun fire from Cerise Wood on the farther side of the valley and from Mannikin Wood in the valley. The three whippet tanks allotted to the 16th Infantry Brigade were all knocked out, but the West Yorks, to whom had been entrusted the clearing of the valley, stuck to their work most gallantly, and in the afternoon, after three attempts, had the satisfaction of securing Mannikin Wood, with 10 officers, 240 other ranks, and 20 machine-guns, by a final attack under an artillery smoke barrage. To this success "B" Company, 6th Machine-gun Battalion, contributed largely by enfilade fire.
By 3 p.m. the French announced that they had captured Bellicourt Farm, and were advancing. The situation on the right was now completely changed, and the 1st West Yorks, advancing up the valley, gained touch with the French east of Fairy Wood, more than half-way to the final objective in that area.
By nightfall Méricourt, which blocked the head of and commanded the whole of the valley, was in our hands.
The Americans gained their final objective and continued the advance without much opposition. In attempting to support their flank the 71st Infantry Brigade came under the fire of field guns firing over open sights near Joncourt Farm, and could not advance. A squadron of the Royal Scots Greys (5th Cavalry Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Neil Haig), attached to the Division, worked round and made a gallant attempt to gallop the guns, but were stopped by close range gun fire. Pitch darkness now came on, and left the Division tired but triumphant on their final objectives. The bag of the 6th Division amounted to over 30 officers and 1,100 other ranks.
Congratulatory messages were received from the Army and Corps Commanders as follows:--