The Sherwood Foresters Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Ernest Maconchy, and the 2/7th Battalion by Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Fane. The battalion second-in-command was Major F. Rayner and the adjutant was Captain Frederick Dietrichsen.
The soldiers under their command were highly inexperienced and many had not yet completed their basic training. As such, they were heavily dependent upon a rigid hierarchy of command to maintain morale and carry out orders. As the officers of the 2/7th C Company were leading their troops from the front of the column, they became the first casualties in the battle, leading to lack of control and command in the very early stages of the battle.
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| British Senior Officers pose for a photo; Captain Dietrichsen sits 3rd row down, 5th from the left |