on 21 march 1918, the germans began their spring offensive and the new zealand division was rushed to plug a gap in the front near colincamps. on 27 march, puttick was wounded in the chest while leading his battalion in an action designed to link up with an australian brigade in the nearby village of hébuterne. he was evacuated to england for treatment and after recuperating, commanded the new zealand rifle brigade's training camp in brocton, staffordshire. however, his wounds were such that he was eventually repatriated to new zealand at the end of the war.