Tanner had received one company from the 4th (Scottish) Battalion from Longueval and Lukin sent a second company forward to reinforce the 3rd (Transvaal & Rhodesia) Battalion. Lukin sent messages urging Tanner and the battalion commanders to dig in regardless of fatigue, as heavy artillery fire was expected during the night or early the next morning. As night fell German high explosive and gas shelling increased in intensity and a German counter-attack began at midnight with orders to recapture the wood "at all costs". The attack was made by three battalions from the 8th and 12th Reserve divisions and managed to reach within , before being driven under cover by artillery and machine-gun fire. Later that night, fire into Delville Wood, from four German brigades, reached a rate of per minute.