 After its initial success, the battle bogged down into bitter fighting round Bourlon Wood, during which 12th Division was largely inactive.The Germans were preparing a major counter-offensive, and on 29 November III Corps assigned HQ, A and D (H) Btys of CCLXXVII Bde to support 6th Division.Both divisions were caught up in the counter-attack that came on 30 November, when the Germans penetrated behind 12th Division to Gonnelieu and III Corps lost 12 18-pounders and other guns.