6:00 am
"The British bombardment opened about 6am but it was desultory and too scanty to be effective. A few well directed shots on the German troop reinforcements were noted but before 9 a.m. few were fired. To the left of our line the bombardment had been even weaker."
"Received final orders. I sent for my O.C. Companies and issued my orders. My arrangements were that the attack was to be made in two waves by the companies in the front line. Companies were to right incline on leaving our trench. Company objectives were Gird Support and when Gird Support had been captured to Gird Trench. Each company was to leave a clearing-up party of one bombing squad and six men in Gird Trench and then follow the barrage to Gird Support."