On the left the 1st Division was successful, and so were the 11th Essex, who, held up at first by heavy shelling and machine-gun fire, persevered throughout the day and were rewarded by finishing up in possession of the whole of their objectives, a very creditable performance.
On the right the West Yorks had to secure Holnon Village, which lay in a hollow commanded by Round and Manchester Hills in the area allotted to the French, and which was itself strongly held.

The French failed in their attack, and though the West Yorks obtained part of the village they could not clear it and establish the starting line beyond it.

The situation at the end of the 17th was therefore unsatisfactory on the right, but it was impossible to put off the general attack, and arrangements had to be improvised.

Another unsatisfactory feature was that Holnon Wood covered practically the whole 2,500 yards frontage of the Division, and was so drenched with gas shells and the tracks so bad, that both 16th and 71st Infantry Brigades had to make a detour north and south of the wood respectively to reach their assembly positions, and this naturally fatigued the troops and hindered communication and supply.
Standing on the east edge of the wood, a bare glacis-like slope devoid of cover, except for two or three shell-trap copses, stretched away for 3,000 yards to the high ground overlooking St.Quentin.There was no sign of life and very few trenches could be seen, though it was known that they were there as the Fifth Army had held the position in March 1918.

It was found afterwards that the Germans had camouflaged their trenches with thistles, which here covered the ground to a height in many places of eighteen inches.
At the highest point about the centre of the Divisional area of attack was a network of trenches known later as the Quadrilateral--a name of bad omen to the 6th Division--and which, like its namesake on the Somme, could be reinforced under cover from the back slopes of the hill.