. In fact the regulars
never got up to the Kensington men; but were forced to retire. This
left the Territorials in a most precarious condition. They had gained
such an important point on the German line that a heavy fire was
directed against them. But the British would not give up what they had
taken. Instead of retiring, they sent for reenforcements which were
promised to them. In the meantime the Germans gave up trying to blow
the Kensingtons out of their position and made a counterattack. The
left wing of the plucky Territorial battalion used bombs effectively
to hold their enemy at bay. The right wing at the same time was kept
busy in its attempt to prevent being enveloped. In spite of all the
Germans could do with their artillery and their repeated
counterattacks the West London men maintained their small wedge in the
Teuton front. Finally trench mortars were brought against them. Then
the Kensington battalion, or what was left of it, received the order
to retire. To do that necessitated fighting their way back through the
thickening line of their enemy. Those British Territorials had held
their peculiar position several hours, and had suffered severely in
consequence; but their loss was undoubtedly much larger when retiring
to their former line. They fought the greater part of the afternoon
and well into the evening in endeavoring to get back; and finally a
comparatively few of them succeeded. The last dash to the British
trenches was made over a barren piece of ground which was so flat that
there was no opportunity for concealment. And here the Germans raked
what was left of the battalion with rifle and machine-gun fire.
Ultimately, however, a portion of the brave band returned to the
British trenches. Previous to withdrawing the survivors from the
front, General Sir Henry Rawlinson told them that their gaining the
position which they took and holding it as long as they did had not
only relieved the pressure on Ypres but had aided General Foch's army
to advance between Arras and La Bassee. In conclusion he said: "It was
a feat of arms surpassed by no battalion in this great war."

The Sussex and Northampton troops made a desperate effort to get into
the German trenches on the morning in which this action started, but
they never got nearer than forty yards, being stopped by the deluge of
shrapnel, rifle, and machine-gun fire to which they were subjected.
When they were ordered to return to the British trenches, t