le to stop the onrush from one trench to
the other. The Germans swept and broke through the British lines,
treading their fallen opponents under foot as they advanced. At
this point the British turned and fled, as there was no hope of
successful resistance.

As the great momentum forced the German advance through the allied
lines into the open field beyond and was joined by a heavy column,
which had debouched from the vicinity of Auchy, British guns opened
a murderous fire and inflicted terrible slaughter upon these ranks.

The Coldstream and the Scots Guards retreated to their second line
of defense, where they joined others of their command held in reserve
there. Once again they turned to meet the oncoming Germans, and
again were forced to give way, leaving the Germans in possession
of all the ground previously gained. The remnants of the Guards
retreated until they were met by the London-Scottish regiment sent
to reenforce them. Here they halted while a counterattack was being
organized by the First Royal Highlanders, part of the Camerons,
and the Second King's Rifle Corps which also came up.

At one o'clock on January 25, 1915, and with the cooperation of
the French on their right, this rapidly improvised force moved
forward, making unobstructed progress on their wings by the canal
and the road. For some reason their center was delayed and held
back. When they did finally arrive and pressed forward with a rush
to meet the German forces, who were ready to receive them, the
impact was fearful, and the casualties on both sides enormous;
but no gains were made by the Allies, and the Germans held the
ground they had won. At the height of the battle the Second Royal
Sussex rushed into the fray in support of their hard-pressed comrades,
but all to no purpose, for these as the others were forced back
to the rear of their starting point with but a fraction of their
forces remaining to report the events of the day.

While this terrible slaughter was in progress, the French left
on the other side of La Bassee road, which separated the Allies
at this point, had been attacked by the right of the German line,
and driven back to a considerable distance, but not as far back as
the British, so that the French left was in advance of the British
right and badly exposed to flank attack from the northward.

This obliged the entire allied forces to retreat some distance
farther to the rear, and as night came on and the severity or