The conduct of all ranks during the counter-attack, which was launched
early in the afternoon, was so splendid that it broke up the Hun effort.
Later in the day the enemy made another attack with a strong body of
picked storm-troops from another division brought up specially from the
reserves, but the greeting they received from our rifle, Lewis gun, and
machine-gun fire caused enormous casualties, and the attack collapsed.
Capt. Grey Burn was decorated with the M.C. for his share in this
splendid day's work. The ground captured in the first day's fighting,
representing an advance of 5,000 yards, was consolidated and held for
the next two days, during which time the left of the division was
executing a turning movement to encircle Miraumont from the north. The
work of the signallers, under Lt. Smith, cannot be too highly praised
for their contribution to the success of this battle, because
communications throughout the operation were excellent and twice served
to bring down a barrage in short time, so assisting the infantry to
smash the enemy attacks. The stretcher bearers nobly performed their
work under most trying conditions, what with the heavy mist followed
later by intense heat, the badly broken ground and the long distances
they had to carry the wounded under shell fire. Lce-Cpl. Twist, M.M., of
"D" company, performed prodigies of strength and valour in this way,
receiving a bar to his M.M., and Pte. Greer, M.M., of "B" company,
proved an able second to him.
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