23rd April 1917

Having breached the German’s front line positions during the preceding weeks, the British were now confronted in this sector by a trench system known as the Oppy line — named after the village north of Gavrelle. Despite a preliminary bombardment, the German wire north of Gavrelle was hardly touched and First Army decided that their part in the renewed offensive would, for the moment, be limited to taking Gavrelle. On the right of the 63rd Division, the Drake Battalion (189th Brigade) had also noted sections of uncut wire and limited its attack to the northern half of its objective where there were sufficient holes. Advancing through these gaps they made good progress and having attained the top end of their objective they then bombed their way down the rest, securing the position.

On the left of the divisional front, the 4th Bn Bedfordshire regiment and 7th Bn Royal Fusiliers managed to get into their first objective but the Fusiliers who were working with an open left flank were now held up by a swathe of uncut wire in front of them. Whilst the Fusiliers were checked, the other battalions pushed on into the centre of the village where the Bedfords, in turn, found their own left flank compromised. Instead of being able to advance as far as the railway line, they were forced to hang back. Coming up behind the Drake and Nelson battalions the Hood Battalion was supposed to have waited to give the former a chance to clear their first objective. However, in the face of a German counter barrage, they decided that the best response was to push forward creating a mishmash of troops in the centre of the village.

Once the units had been reorganized they continued their way up the street fighting a dogged battle from house to house. Having taken the village they tried to continue on, but getting in was one thing, trying to emerge out the other side was another altogether. As soon as the sailors and soldiers tried to leave the cover of the buildings they were swept with machine gunfire. They only had a further 300 metres to achieve but the commanders on the spot realized that success was far from certain, that the losses would be high, and settled for what they had.

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Unfortunately, the windmill on the high ground just to the north of the village was not taken. The Germans considered the windmill as the keystone to this sector of the Oppy Line. Not content with merely shooting at any emerging British troops the Germans also attempted a number of counterattacks themselves but all of these were beaten off. It was, however, not until late in the evening that the 1st Bn Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) were finally in a position to secure the Division’s left flank. The following morning the Germans continued to send wave after wave of soldiers against the new possessors of the village but once again these were beaten off.

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Then, at midday, the Germans fired a terrific bombardment into the village before launching a large-scale assault at 1530 hours. Although they advanced with determination they presented easy targets for the British artillery and machine guns. Some managed to reach as far as the village but their numbers had dwindled to insignificance and they were soon dealt with. In all, 479 prisoners were taken by the 63rd Division but the work had only begun. The thorny problem was going to be how to continue the advance out from the village into yet another German defensive line.