The plan of attack provided that the 12th King’s should take Neuville and that the 7th D.C.L.I. should attack Ruyaulcourt from the south and south-east, while the 7th K.O.L.Y.I. made a demonstration on the north and the north-west. Four guns of the 61st Machine Gun Company were attached to the King’s, four to the D.C.L.I., and two to the K.O.Y.L.I.
The operations began at 8.15 P.M. on the 28th, shortly after dusk. The 12th King’s on the right advanced from Ytres against Neuville, “B” and “D” Companies and two sections of battalion bombers carrying out the assault, with “C” Company in support and “D” in reserve in front of Ytres. The leading companies soon came under heavy fire from machine guns, and on approaching the position had difficulty with the enemy’s wire, but by 1.55 A.M. on the 29th they were reported to be holding the south-west half of the village. The place was then systematically cleared by bombing parties, and by 2.30 A.M. the whole village had been taken and posts established 100 yards east of it. A support line was then dug to consolidate the defences.
The D.C.L.I. on the left moved out from a position 500 yards north of Ytres, “C” and “D” Companies assaulting, “A” Company in support and “B” in reserve. They advanced steadily until they were stopped by strong barbed wire about 3½ feet high, which had not been previously located. At this moment they came under rifle and machine-gun fire, in the face of which they made several attempts to cut through the wire, which was found to encircle the village.
As they could make no progress, the assaulting companies retired under shell fire for 200 yards and from this point made further attempts to get through. The wire, however, proved too strong and the enemy too alert, while the intense darkness of the night and the drifting snow made the task more difficult still. They therefore withdrew to a line 500 yards south-west of the village.
The K.O.Y.L.I. carried out their demonstration on the extreme left, and a patrol sent out by this battalion reported Ruyaulcourt strongly held.
The next night the Somerset L.I., who had relieved the D.C.L.I., found the village empty and occupied it. At the same time the 59th Brigade established an outpost line along 2500 yards of the road between Neuville and Fins, while Fins and Sorel le Grand were captured by the 8th Division.
The 61st Brigade received the following message on the 29th of March: “The Divisional Commander congratulates the 61st Brigade on its excellent work last night, especially the King’s Regiment. Whilst all concerned did well this battalion especially distinguished itself and showed great dash.”
On the 30th an advanced guard, under Brig.-General Browne-Clayton, composed of the 59th Brigade, the 83rd Field Company R.E., one squadron of the XIVth Corps Cavalry Regiment, and three batteries of artillery, occupied the high ground which extends for some 3000 yards south-east of Neuville. An advanced guard of the 8th Division moved at the same time on Revelon (east of Hendecourt) and Dessart Wood. At 4 P.M. the two Rifle Brigade battalions attacked, the 10th on the right and the 11th on the left, each in two lines on a two company front. The men advanced admirably over 1500 yards of open ground, although they incurred a certain number of casualties, including Capt. G. White and Lieut. Ramsey of the 10th R.B., who had both just previously carried out a most valuable reconnaissance. At 5.40 P.M. both companies of the 10th R.B. were reported to be digging in on their objective with the 11th Battalion on their left. Touch was gained with the 8th Division at 9 P.M. Little opposition was met during the attack, most of the casualties—5 officers and about 90 men—being caused by shell fire while the new line was being dug and consolidated.
By the evening of the 30th the outpost line ran from the north of Dessart Wood (where it was in touch with the 8th Division) through Neuville and Ruyaulcourt; the main line of resistance remained unchanged. On the 1st of April the 60th Brigade relieved the 61st on the left of the line, and on the 2nd, Divisional Headquarters moved from Guillemont to Rocquigny.
By the 1st of April reconnaissances had found the enemy rearguards holding a line covering Metz-en-Couture and the south-west corner of Havrincourt Wood. The object of the following operations was to capture this line. As a preparatory measure a small party of the 11th R.B. advancing over ground covered with snow tried to occupy Metz-en-Couture on the night 2nd/3rd, but found the village strongly held. A similar attempt made by the 10th R.B. on the following night met with the same result. The main line of resistance on the right was advanced during the night of the 2nd/3rd to a monument 1000 yards north of Fins, running thence west for 1000 yards and joining the Ytres—Bertincourt line half a mile north of Equancourt. On the 4th Brig.-General Browne-Clayton’s advanced guard attacked the enemy in front of it, while the 8th Division on the right advanced against Gouzeaucourt Wood and a line running thence to the south-east. A heavy snowstorm on the night before the attack added to the difficulties of the operation, but by 2.30 P.M. on the 4th, although the slush underfoot made the going very bad, the weather had to some extent improved.