Soon after dawn the barrage opened, and simultaneously the Manchesters
advanced accompanied by a single tank. The New Zealanders were carrying
out a similar task on the left, while the 17th division had to get
through Beaulencourt and over a large stretch of bare country on the
right. The 6th Manchesters progressed in fine style, and everything went
according to plan. The enemy put up a stiff fight for it and hung on to
the last in the cunningly concealed machine gun posts. It was in this
part of the fighting that Lieut. Welch (a one-time 7th officer) with a
section of Stokes' mortar men performed a gallant deed that earned for
him the D.S.O. The progress of events on the right, however, was not so
clear and straightforward. As was expected the 5th encountered strong
opposition, for they advanced along a double row of old German trenches
which contained a large number of dug-outs, and disconcerting masses of
wire at irregular intervals. It was thus difficult to maintain cohesion
in the attack, while every dug-out contained machine gun crews who had
been unharmed by the barrage, and who, owing to the delay in getting
ahead, had been able to come out and man their positions without
interruption. The 5th, therefore, lost heavily, particularly on their
right flank, and before very long "C" company of the 7th found
themselves in the front, almost isolated, and taking a stern part in the
assault.
They pushed on until all the enemy trenches had been cleared to the
south-east corner of Villers-au-Flos, and then stayed in order to get in
touch with the remnants of the 5th on their left, after which Lieut.
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