zi ères , ▁A , ▁B , ▁and ▁D ▁Comp an ies ▁of ▁ 2 / 2 nd ▁B n ▁and ▁two ▁t anks ▁being ▁detailed ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁object ives , ▁with ▁ 2 / 2 4 th ▁B n ▁in ▁close ▁support ▁for ▁mo pping ▁up ▁and ▁ 3 rd ▁B n ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁small ▁area ▁on ▁the ▁right . ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁scheduled ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁but ▁post pon ed ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 8 th . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁pre lim inary ▁bomb ard ment , ▁but ▁the ▁cre eping ▁bar rage ▁began ▁with ▁three ▁minutes ▁on ▁the ▁start ▁line ▁and ▁then ▁lifted ▁ 1 0 0 ▁yards ▁every ▁four ▁minutes . ▁The ▁pre - dawn ▁attack ▁in ▁dri zz le ▁went ▁well , ▁despite ▁the ▁Al pine ▁troops ' ▁resistance , ▁and ▁within ▁an ▁hour ▁ 2 / 2 nd ▁B n ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁railway ▁emb ank ment ▁beyond ▁P é zi ères ▁( the ▁first ▁objective ). ▁At ▁ 0 7 . 0 0 ▁the ▁whole ▁batt alion ▁moved ▁on ▁towards ▁is ▁second ▁objective , ▁which ▁it ▁took ▁by ▁ 0 9 . 1 0 , ▁but ▁ 2 / 2 4 th ▁was ▁held ▁up ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁strong points . ▁These ▁were ▁cleared ▁up ▁by ▁ 2 / 2 nd ▁and ▁ 3 rd ▁B ns ▁at ▁ 2 1 . 0 0 , ▁but ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁in ▁Pop lar ▁T rench ▁held ▁out ▁until ▁mid -