guns in the brickfield near La Bassee. The British dashed forward
until they were in range of the machine guns. Then they suffered
such severe losses that they were forced to retreat, even though
they had almost taken the inviting German trenches. The Highlanders
and the Bedfords had made a gallant charge and felt especially
humiliated to have to withdraw when victory was about to perch
on their banners. They believed that a lack of reenforcements was
responsible for their nonsuccess.

The day's fighting ended with the First Army of the British driven
back except in the center. There the Kensington Territorial Battalion
made a remarkable record for itself. In the morning when the British
artillery ceased firing, the Kensington men dashed from their trenches
and captured three lines of the German trenches at the point of
the bayonet. A part of the battalion, in its eagerness to win the
day, went on up the ridge. At the same time one of its companies
turned to the left and another to the right, and with bayonet and
bomb drove the Germans from the trenches for a distance of 200
yards. The Kensingtons were doing the work that had been set for
them to do; but two regular battalions, one to their left and the
other to their right, were not as able to comply with the orders
they had received. The regulars were stopped by wire entanglements
that the artillery had failed to smash, and, at the same time,
they were raked by machine-gun fire. Hence they were unable to
keep up with the Territorials. 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