50th (Northumbrian) Division was not involved in the Somme Offensive until its third phase (the Battle of Flers–Courcelette). The 1/7th DLI arrived in the area in mid-August and began training to construct a new cruciform pattern of strongpoint, then was engaged in building roads and tramways before the rest of the division took up its positions. For the attack, one company of 1/7th DLI was attached as pioneers to each attacking infantry brigade (A Company to 149th (Northumberland) Bde and D Company to 150th (York &amp; Durham) Bde). The remaining platoons assisted 7th Field Company, RE, to repair the road bringing in supplies. 50th Division took its first objective in an hour and then struggled forward, taking heavy casualties, to reach the second objective, assisting &lt;a href="47th%20%281/2nd%20London%29%20Division"&gt;47th (1/2nd London) Division&lt;/a&gt; to capture High Wood. In the afternoon, 1/7th DLI worked under heavy shellfire on new communication trenches to link up the captured areas and to dig new gun positions. The division made further piecemeal advances during the Battle of Morval (25–28 September); during this whole time the battalion was constantly at work, suffering heavy casualties.