the German machine-guns and despite bringing Stokes mortars into action, the attack was stopped around noon, having been costly for both sides. During the night, German artillery bombarded the village and wood with high explosive and gas shell, extending the bombardment to Montauban and the artillery in Caterpillar Valley. Congreve decided that the next attack would be made by the 3rd Division from the west, before dawn on 18 July, to capture the objectives at all costs. The 76th Brigade (Brigadier-General R. J. Kentish) was to conduct the attack. The German 8th Division was also preparing to attack Delville Wood and troops at the most advanced positions were pulled back during a bombardment which began at from about and heavy guns and howitzers of and , with guns of the 8th Division and more from the 12th Reserve Division. German 2nd Army 12–17 July On 12 July, I Battalion, Reserve Infantry Regiment 91 (RIR) attacked from Bazentin Wood with the 2nd and 4th companies on an front. After a brief artillery bombardment the attack was stopped half way to Mametz Wood by British small-arms fire, the two companies suffering many casualties. The survivors joined troops from III Battalion, Bavarian Infantry Regiment 16 (BIR 16), Infantry Regiment 184 (IR 184), two sharpshooter groups and the 8th Company, RIR 77 in the line from Bazentin Wood to Longueval. Much of the trench had been flattened by shellfire; there were only six dug outs, and no wire. Nearby, were III Battalion, IR 165, the Fusilier Guards recruit company and part of II Battalion, IR 190. Some troops of RIR 91 and BIR 16 detected signs of an attack, BIR 16 having patrols out but by 14 July, the III Battalion was down to The British attack came against with the 10th Bavarian Division from Guillemont to Delville Wood, Longueval and Bazentin le Grand, the 7th Division from Bazentin to Pozières and the 8th Division in reserve south of Bapaume. The British attack succeeded at several points, from which the troops worked sideways to roll up the German defenders, a tactic not used on 1 July. BIR 16 lost and the headquarters of Infantry Regiment , BIR 16, I Battalion, RIR 91 and II Battalion, BIR 16 were captured. Armin had taken over from Longueval to the Ancre that morning, ordered troops to hold their positions. The 7th Division had been relieving the 183rd