Sir Henry Rawlinson, commanding the Fourth Army, wrote as follows:
“It is now nine months since the Division joined the Fourth Army, and I cannot allow them to leave without expressing to all ranks my gratitude for the excellent services they have rendered. Throughout the heavy fighting in October and November last at Guillemont, Lesbœufs, the Quadrilateral, and east of Gueudecourt, they displayed a gallantry and fighting spirit which was beyond praise.
“Throughout an exceptionally trying winter they had to hold one of the wettest and muddiest parts of the line, yet when it came to the advance in March and April they carried out the successful attacks on Neuville, Metz-en-Couture, Trescault, and Bilhem with a gallantry and dash which was wholly admirable, and for which I offer them my warmest thanks.
“I much regret that the Division is now leaving the Fourth Army, but I trust that at some future date I may again have the good fortune of finding them under my command.”
On the 23rd, Divisional Headquarters moved to the monument north of Bapaume, and brigades went into the line facing Quéant during the following three days. The Division was now in the Fifth Army (General Sir Hubert Gough) and in the IVth Corps, which took over from the 1st Anzac Corps just at this time. The front of the IVth Corps (Lieut.-General Sir C. L. Woollcombe) was held by the 48th Division on the right and the 20th on the left; on the left of the 20th was the 58th Division of the Vth Corps. The Divisional line was held by the 61st Brigade on the right and the 60th on the left, with the 59th in reserve. In the right sub-sector a line of outposts was held some 500 yards in advance of the main line of resistance, which ran from just east of Lagnicourt to a point 1000 yards east of Bullecourt, the left flank being actually in the Hindenburg Line. In the severe fighting that had taken place in this sector the front line trenches had been blown to bits, and could be held only in a series of isolated posts. Most of the battery positions were very exposed. The only places for them lay in the Noreuil, Lagnicourt and Morchies valleys, which throughout their whole length ran towards the enemy. They could thus easily be observed not only from kite balloons, but also from the high ground in the enemy’s lines.
The Divisional Machine Gun Company was disposed so as to cover the front with half the guns and the flanks and certain special points with others, keeping one gun for anti-aircraft work. The company established observation posts which gave a view over a considerable part of the Hindenburg Line.
Three weeks of active trench warfare followed. The enemy shelled this sector heavily almost every day. On the night of the 1st of June the trenches of the 12th R.B. were badly blown in, but fortunately the casualties were few. A/92 Battery during a severe shelling on the 3rd had three guns damaged, and by the 8th seven 18-prs. and six howitzers in the Divisional Artillery were out of action, most of them knocked out by the enemy’s fire. The 59th Brigade, coming into the line on the 6th of June, was heavily bombarded both that day and the next, and Noreuil and Lagnicourt were persistently shelled. At the same time the line had to be strengthened as much as possible, active patrolling maintained, and raids on the enemy’s trenches carried out.
A very successful raid was carried out on the night of the 12th/13th of June by a platoon of the 7th Somerset L.I. under 2nd Lieut. C. J. Lewin. The barrage on the enemy’s trench was so good that the raiding party was able to advance close up to it; as soon as it lifted the Somersets attacked, fought their way through the wire, and charged with the bayonet. Then the enemy bolted. Nine men were seen to fall, nine others were left dead in the trench, and the rest ran into the barrage, leaving in our hands a prisoner belonging to a unit which had not been identified before on the Divisional front. Our casualties were three men slightly wounded. 2nd Lieut. Lewin was awarded the M.C. and Lance-Sgt. A. Harley and Pte. A. J. Gibbs the M.M. for this raid.
The 12th King’s sent three patrols up to the enemy’s line on the night of the 23rd/24th. They met with a good deal of opposition and all three had fights with parties of the enemy, but they obtained very useful information. The next night “B” Company of this battalion raided a sunken road south-west of Riencourt, eight guns of the 61st Machine Gun Company assisting with indirect fire. The wire was found to be very strong—thick and treble fenced—but some of the party got through, securing a useful identification from a few of the enemy dead who were left in the trench and who had evidently been killed by the barrage.
During this period there were two changes at Divisional Headquarters. Lieut.-Colonel E. M. Newell succeeded Lieut.-Colonel Rolland as C.R.E., and Major Stratton, who had commanded the Divisional Signal Company since it had been formed in England, was transferred to the IXth Corps. The latter was succeeded by Capt. A. G. Brace, M.C., who commanded the company until the end of the war.