After a week the 1st Brigade received orders to proceed to Carnoy, and all surplus kit and equipment were left behind in store. The 2nd Battalion Grenadiers marched to Carnoy, and bivouacked not far from the place where it had been at the beginning of the month.
On the 11th orders were received for the 1st Brigade to relieve the left half of the 3rd Guards Brigade, while the 2nd Guards Brigade was to take the place of the other half. These orders (given below) were communicated to commanding officers at a conference held at Brigade Headquarters.
Brigadier-General Pereira issued the following orders:
1. The Fourth Army will attack the enemy’s defences between Combles Ravine and Martinpuich on Z day with the object of seizing Morval, Lesbœufs, Gueudecourt, and Flers, breaking through the enemy’s system of defence.
The French are undertaking an offensive simultaneously on the south and the Reserve Army on the north.
2. The attack will be pushed with the utmost vigour, all along the line, until the most distant objectives are reached.
The failure of a unit on a flank is not to prevent other units pushing on to their final objectives, as it is by such means that these units, which have failed, will be assisted to advance.
3. _Preliminary Bombardment._――(_a_) Commencing on the 12th September bombardment and wire-cutting on hostile defensive system will take place from 6 A.M. to 6.30 P.M. daily.
(_b_) The preliminary bombardment on the day of the attack will be similar to that on previous days, there being no increase of fire previous to zero.
(_c_) At 6.30 P.M. each evening from the 12th September inclusive, night firing will commence and continue till 6 A.M. Lethal shells will be used.
4. (_a_) The 2nd Guards Brigade will attack on the right of the Division――the 1st Guards Brigade the left, and the 3rd Guards Brigade will be in divisional reserve.
(_b_) The 4th Brigade of the Fourteenth Division will attack on the left of the 1st Guards Brigade.
(_c_) Boundaries are shown on attached map.
5. _Forming-up Areas._――Forming-up areas are shown on attached maps.
Instructions as to movement of troops to their forming-up areas will be issued separately.
6. Objectives allotted to Guards Brigades and neighbouring Divisions are shown on attached map.