New Zealand Division at the front

“Little time was given the 1st Rifles for elaborate preparations, and it was already 6.30 a.m. [26th March] before their leading companies, with 2 sections of machine guns, moved from Hédauville up the open slopes north-east towards Mailly-Maillet. The cultivated fields, the villages and the woods made Picardy appear "a very pleasant country" after the wastes of Ypres. The Rifles were protected by a company as an advanced guard. This screen, moving to the east of Mailly-Maillet at 10 a.m., soon came in contact with the enemy. With Lewis gun and rifle fire its centre platoon drove back German patrols seen 500 yards east of Auchon-villers Wood. The left platoon pushed along the northern slopes from Auchonvillers up the road which leads to Hébuterne. About 1000 yards north of Auchonvillers this road meets the road from Serre to Mailly-Maillet, and at the crossroads stood a refinery for the manufacture of sugar from the beet grown in the neighbourhood. The left platoon found the enemy already in considerable force on the sunken Hébuterne road, south of the refinery, and moving forward with entire assurance. Lining the open ditches they hotly engaged him and arrested his progress.” [Excerpts From: Col. H. Stewart. “The New Zealand Division 1916 - 1919: A Popular History Based on Official Records.”]

Throughout the day the Division continued to make progress despite fierce German resistance and counter attacks.

“By nightfall, as a result of these operations, in which the Division had sustained altogether 150 casualties, mostly walking cases, our foremost troops occupied a strong and practically continuous line from just west of Hamel to north of the Serre Road.” [Excerpt From: Col. H. Stewart. “The New Zealand Division 1916 - 1919: A Popular History Based on Official Records.”]