23rd Battalion

Unlike the other two brigades, this attack was successful.

The 23rd Battalion, which you'll remember had been allocated to this attack because the other battalions of the brigade had suffered heavy losses before the attack even began, moved into their positions along KSAP to the point where it crossed the railway and then they turned right to line out along the railway as this jumping off point.

Their objective, Coarselaer Road, was about a quarter of a mile away, too far for the battalion's movements to be noticed, and so, unlike the 5th and 7th Brigades, these men were not spotted moving into their jumping-off positions.

The battalion attacked with three companies, Major Brind on the left, Captain Mabry-Smith in the centre, and Captain Kennedy on the right.

And I'll explain why in a minute.

My grandfather on my mother's side was an infantryman in the 23rd Battalion.

Two-thirds of his battalion were wiped out on the Western Front.

He's a bugler and an infantryman and all those things.