On 1 October the division (less the artillery) entrained for Bapaume, and by 10 October had relieved the 40th Division with all three brigades in the line from Villers Plouich to Villers Guislains about north to south-east of Gouzeaucourt. The 11th D.L.I. (pioneers) was ordered to send 200 men to strengthen the infantry after the Ypres battles, and received lower fitness men in return. Now part of III Corps of the Third Army, the division had a quiet time in the line and was rejoined by its artillery on 25 October. On 29 October the division line was shortened when the 55th (West Lancashire) Division took over the southern third of the line around Villers Guislains. Brigade commanders and staffs were informed of the plan of attack early in November, other brigade officers only a week before the attack. During their time in the line, those battalions rotated out of the line were trained in infantry-tank cooperation, the artillery was moved to new positions in the open closer to the line during the nights of 16–19 November. In the weeks preceding the attack, the Division Signals Company was detailed to provide the telephone and signal lines of three attacking divisions, laying of armoured cable. On 19 November the 60th and 61st brigade entered the new division line from Villers Plouich, south-east to a point north west of Gonnelieu facing 'Welsh Ridge', with the outposts of the old line still manned by the 20th division. The 59th Brigade was in reserve at Gouzeaucourt. In spite of the noise the tanks made moving up to the line the Germans did not respond.