The history of the Twentieth (Light) Division

by Valentine Erskine Inglefield

The disposition of the troops, when the assembly was completed, was as follows:

On the right was the 60th Infantry Brigade (Brig.-General Butler), with headquarters at Stray Farm. The 6th Oxford and Bucks L.I. were formed up with the first wave east of the Steenbeek, and the second wave west of it. The 6th K.S.L.I. on the right and the 12th K.R.R.C. on the left were a short distance in rear of the Oxfords. The 12th R.B. were 800 yards south-east of Pilckem.

On the left was the 61st Infantry Brigade (Brig.-General Banbury), with headquarters on the railway north of Pilckem. The 7th Somerset L.I. on the right and the 7th K.O.Y.L.I. on the left were east of the Steenbeek; behind these battalions the 12th King’s on the right had crossed the stream, and the 7th D.C.L.I. were crossing it at the time when the attack began.

The 60th and 61st Trench Mortar Batteries and half of the 60th and 61st Machine Gun Companies were close to the infantry of their brigades.

The guns of the 91st Field Artillery Brigade were in action on the west slope of Pilckem Ridge, those of the 92nd Brigade on the canal bank.

Au Bon Gite

At 4.45 A.M. the artillery barrage, accurate and beautifully timed, fell like a curtain, and close behind it the leading waves of the infantry moved forward to the attack. It was then just light enough to see the country for about 300 yards ahead. Bombers of the 11th R.B. had crawled up during the night to within a few yards of Au Bon Gite, where they lay concealed in shell-holes. At zero these men threw smoke bombs on to the enemy, making a screen under cover of which the rest of “B” Company attacked. After a short fight the position was captured with its garrison of an officer and 50 men.

The first wave of the Oxfords had meanwhile passed Au Bon Gite, and the second wave had crossed the Steenbeek. This battalion met a certain amount of opposition from parties of the enemy in blockhouses, but by 5.20 A.M. had reached the first objective with trifling loss.

All movement, however, was very difficult. On the whole Divisional front the ground was nothing but a swampy crater field as far as the final objective. Up to the first objective it was particularly bad, and in many places the only possible formation for the troops was a series of small columns which wound their way in single file between the pools of mud and water.