H.A.Walker, commanding 16th Infantry Brigade, which was to attack on the left the next morning, most unfortunately lost his left arm by a shell, which blew it off so cleanly that his wrist watch was recovered by his orderly and was still going.

Brig.-Gen.

P.W.Brown, commanding 71st Infantry Brigade, then in reserve, took command until the arrival of Brig.-Gen.
W.G.Braithwaite.
During the night 16/17th October the enemy poured gas shells into Vaux Andigny, causing considerable casualties both to the troops forming up just outside and to those who had to pass through a little later.

Zero was at 5.20 a.m., and the attack commenced in a dense fog, which in the fan-shaped advance caused a good deal of loss of direction, although the 18th Infantry Brigade on the left had laid out long direction tapes to give the troops the initial direction.
The latter brigade was held up at the start by uncut wire, which caused it to lose its barrage.

It also encountered a good deal of opposition on Bellevue Ridge.