Morning of 15th

At 3a.m., 15th September, Reveille; 4.15a.m., tea issued; 5 a.m., Battalion moved off, and formed up in artillery formation of platoon files just north of York Alley, S.23.a. and c., with its left . resting on road from Lorigueval to Bois de Bernafay ; B Company on left, D Company on right, C following B, A following D; Stokes gun, H.Q.; 2 Vickers in 5th Line from left to right. In front were the 5th K.S..L.I. with 9th R.B., and on our right the 9th K.R.R.C. behind R.B.
 
At about 6 a.m. Colonel Webb was wounded by shrapnel bullet, but continued to lead the Battalion. At zero hour (6.20 a.m.) the Battalion moved off in a N.N.E. direction.
 
Before reaching Delville Wood the battalion had to split to avoid several batteries of field guns, and joined up again when the wood was reached. Just inside the wood the leading man of A Company was shot dead by a German who had previously surrendered. The German was shot. As the last line cleared the wood a few 8-inch shells fell in Longueval and on the Longueval-Guillemont road behind the wood, but did no damage. The Battalion in the same formation, almost without a halt, continued its march up to the Switch Line between about T.1.c.25 and T.l.d.13, under the personal lead of Colonel Webb, who was in front watching the direction taken. During this march no barrage of any intensity was met with, although a few 4.2 and 7.7 mm. fell just outside the wood
 
A Tank, out of action, was seen at T.13.a.55. On arrival at Switch Trench the Battalion came under machine gun fire from the direction of Lesboeufs, but received some protection from the 9th R.B. and 9th K.R.R.C., and suffered few casualties. The Battalion extended and continued its advance, with Colonel Webb in the centre of the second line still directing, until Gap Trench was passed between about T.1.a.43 and T.l.b.51, and a line about 300 yards short of Bulls Road, N.31.b.50 to N.32.c.65, was reached about 9.10a.m., when the Battalion halted. During the advance from Switch Trench enemy were seen moving guns back, and a Tank was observed to engage two batteries in Bulls Road, in which encounter it was set on fire and destroyed after silencing one battery.
 
During the advance to Gap Trench the 9th R.B. and 9th K.R.R.C. suffered heavily from the machine gun fire, especially with regard to officers, and the 9th R.B. could not advance beyond Gap Trench. Between Switch Trench and Bulls Road the Battalion came under heavy field gun fire from Bulls Road and Guedecourt, but, for­tunately, had few casualties. Beyond Gap Trench the two right platoons of A Company were sent up to the right of the Battalion to make connexion with the 9th K.R.R.C., as direction had been lost slightly. These platoons found no one on their right flank.
 
In this position, under very heavy shell fire, the Battalion waited until 10.50 a.m., when the 5th K.S.L.I, and 9th R.B. were due to advance to take Gird Trench and Gird Support, between about N.26.a.l2 and N.33.C.55. After waiting a little time an officer went to the O.C. of the 5th K.S.L.I, and asked what had happened, and if he intended to advance.
 
It was then discovered that one company only of the 5th K.S.L.I. was in front, and that no one was on our flanks. The situation, therefore, was that we, with this one company of the 5th K.S.L.I., were in this position, with no one on either flank. Under these circumstances Colonel Webb decided to advance up to the line held by the K.S.L.I., and dig in there. He ordered A Company to dig in between the 5th K.S.L.I. and the Cross Roads N.32.C.; B and D to make front and support lines between the 5th K.S.L.I. and Road Junction 31.b.51. On B and D Companies advancing the remaining battery ceased fire. Shortly afterwards a white flag was seen near the battery. The line then lay across Bulls Road at N.31.d.59 1/2—d.68, and thence to Cross Roads. About noon the 9th K.R.R.C. came up on our right flank and joined at the Cross Roads.