Artillery fire kept up all night long. I sat under a rubber sheet in a trench with about 15 of my men. Others in smaller holes near by. Lost most of my Lewis Gun Sect by big shell. Six o'clock A.M. was zero hour when artillery opened up in a continuous roar which lasted for 48 hours. Fritz opened in full strength about 6:05 and kept up all day long. Shells kept falling all above us. We could not see the front but heard that 7th and 8th both made their objectives but the SOUTH WALES BORDERORS on left of 8th failed to get forward with our men. C. Coy ordered forward into gap on left of 8th Bn. at 9 o'clock. We got out and started across the awful mud in single file. Mjr in lead with a few H.Q. details then myself with No. 9 followed by 10, 11, and 12. Marched about 400 yds very slowly in mud. Lost some men by shell fire in morning. Arrived near gap to flank of 8th and were sniped at by several snipers in gap ahead of S.W.B.'s. Mjr Anderson was shot about 10:30 A.M. I got my men digging in shell holes and lay down in a shell hole myself for a time then crawled into larger hole with three boys where Mjr. A. had died. We had to lie still until 3 P.M. when we collected all of C. Coy and moved in closer together. Had lost half of our men. Very cold and wet all day. We stood in water or mud all night. Terrific shell fire kept up continuously. Night was bitterly cold. Thought I could not hold out, as my feet and arms and legs were wet. Had a leather jerkin on which kept my body dry. Could not move all night. Had to hold up another officer who was sick all night.