"No Troops Could Have Done Better And I Am Sure That Their Advance In This Battle Will Go Down To Posterity As One Of The Most Gallant Actions Of The War"

Towards the end of July, a draft of 13 officers and 530 other ranks arrived at the 11th Battalion from other units to bring it back up to strength following its losses on the 1st July.
At the same time, the second-in-command, Major Farquhar, received promotion and the command of a battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, and departed on the 6th July. In his place, Captain G.L.J. Tuck took over the role of 2IC and relinquished his post as Adjutant, being replaced by 2/Lieutenant W.H. Parker.
The morale of the Battalion was greatly shattered by the appalling losses of 1st July, but as the days passed, and other units stepped up to the mark to continue what they had started, the men's opinions of their actions changed. Feelings of deep defeat, gave way to feelings of immense pride in the actions they had completed.
As he vacated his position as Adjutant, Captain Tuck circulated the messages he had received following their actions on the first day. Brigadier-General R.C. Gore commanding 101 Brigade wrote to Colonel Somerset; "Will you please express to your Battalion my admiration for their gallant conduct in the attack on July 1st. Theirs was the hardest task of any, having the farthest to advance before crossing our own front line in the face of deadly fire, their courage was magnificent as in spite of wave after wave being mown down, they fearlessly pressed forward towards their objective and got well into the German line but unfortunately their numbers were too few in the end to gain it. No troops could have done better and I am sure that there advance in this battle will go down to posterity as one of the most gallant actions of the War." 

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