The French will attack simultaneously on the right, and the Reserve Army on the left.
The attack is to be pushed with the utmost vigour all along the line until the most distant objectives are reached. The failure of a unit on the flank is not to prevent other units from pushing on to their final objective.
As soon as the final objectives have been captured by the infantry, the cavalry will advance and will seize the high ground Rocquigny――Villers-au-Flos――Riencourt-les-Bapaume――Bapaume.
The Guards Division is to be prepared to support the cavalry on the above line at the earliest possible moment.
2. The objectives allotted to Guards Brigades are marked on the attached map as follows:
First objective, Green (X line). Second ” Brown (Xa line). Third ” Blue (Y line). Fourth ” Red (Z line).
2nd Guards Brigade will be on the right. 1st Guards Brigade will be on the left. 3rd Guards Brigade will be in reserve. 71st Infantry Brigade will be on the right of 2nd Guards Brigade.
3. The Brigade will attack with two battalions in front and two battalions in support.
3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards will be right front battalion. 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards will be left front battalion. 1st Battalion Scots Guards will be right support battalion. 2nd Battalion Irish Guards will be left support battalion.
4. Battalions will be formed up on a company front in column of half-companies. Troops will be in single rank. Each battalion will therefore advance in four waves.
5. 2nd Guards Brigade Machine-gun Company will detail guns as follows:
I. Two guns to advance with 3/G.G. and two guns with 1/C.G. These guns will take position in the third wave on the inner flank of the right and left flank platoons respectively.
II. Four guns to advance with 1/S.G., and four guns with 2/I.G. Four of these guns will take position in the sixth wave on the inner flank of the right and left platoons respectively. The other four will take the same position in the eighth wave.
The remaining three guns will advance in the centre of the ninth wave.
6. Four Stokes guns will be detailed to advance on the flanks of the ninth wave.
1/S.G. and 2/I.G. will find carrying parties of one officer and fifty men each to advance with these guns.