 The guns and all this ammunition were assembled in secrecy, the AFAs moving into the area a battery at a time over a long period, though some were subjected to German counter-battery (CB) fire.The battle is remembered for the explosion of massive mines, but after that it was fundamentally an artillery battle, with two-thirds of the 18-pounders firing a creeping barrage ahead of the attacking infantry, the remainder and the 4.5s firing standing barrages beyond that.These barrages were practised on 3 and 5 June.