of the 5th, an outpost line was established on the line Barzy-Prisches and to the north, touch being obtained with the French at Barzy. Here some opposition was encountered from the enemy posted on high ground north and east of Prisches, and the advance of the 139th Brigade was supported by a barrage of 18-pounders and 4.5 howitzers.
For the advance, one R.G.A. Brigade and two additional R.F.A. Brigades had been allotted to the Division. Of these, one Brigade R.F.A. was attached to each of the fighting Brigades, the other three Artillery Brigades being held in reserve under the orders of the C.R.A. 46th Division.
The enemy having very thoroughly destroyed the bridge over the Canal at Catillon, all the Divisional transport and the Field Artillery were compelled to cross the Canal by a pontoon bridge thrown across by the Divisional Engineers west of Bois de l'Abbaye. Transport difficulties were thus considerable. The pontoon bridges were in themselves barely sufficient to take the traffic, and the approach to the bridges from both banks was across open fields. These were soon churned into a sea of mud in which limbers and guns more often than not stuck fast, in their attempts to pass over. Traces and harness were broken again and again and, finally, transport had to be lined up in a queue some distance from the bridge and each separate vehicle rushed over at the gallop. It was quite clear that, unless the situation was quickly taken in hand and the approaches improved, the Divisional transport might be held up for an indefinite period. The 465th Field Company, who were working on the bridge, rose to the occasion, however, and a corduroy road was constructed, the bridges were improved, and the transport finally flowed across in a steady stream. So was the first
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