As ordered I sent Major Marshall back to the headquarters trenches
with what was left of the supporting platoons, some seventy men, and
taking several scouts with me we endeavored to convey the order to
retire along the line of front trenches. We were fired on and three of
my scouts were hit. It will be remembered that the forward line
extended about a thousand yards and consisted of a series of redoubts.

A wounded man told us that the redoubts at the east of the line, which
had been surrounded by hordes of Saxons and marines for a long time,
had been rushed when the ammunition ran out. Our men fought to the end
with their bayonets.

The scouts sent down to the right were fired upon and only one of them
returned. The Germans fired on Sergeant Coe and myself and tried to
intercept us, but some of them would not intercept anybody any more.
We got away with whole skins. Not a man or an officer in the redoubts
remained unwounded when they were taken prisoner. Those who were not
hit had been weakened with gas. It is no disgrace to be wounded and
taken prisoner in a rear guard action.

Help was now coming in some strength and the situation was saved. I
could see battalion after battalion coming down the Fortuyn road in
extended order, and I knew that in a short time there would be an
advance of these troops north-easterly towards the Poelcapelle road,
closing the dangerous space held by the remnant of the 7th Battalion
and taking over our supporting trenches and the crest of the gap along
the Gravenstafel ridge to the 8th Batt.

The first troops to arrive were the Suffolks and the 12th London
Regiment. A few German sharpshooters had crawled through the forward
lines and were firing from the crest in two places. On our left the
valiant 13th fought in their shallow fire trenches to the last man.
Two companies of the 7th hung on to their trenches at the Poelcapelle
road until they were overwhelmed by the onrush of Prussians, Saxons
and Marine battalions that surrounded them on all sides. The company
of "Buffs" that was in support behind the extreme right of the 13th
was wiped out. I sent runner after runner along the front trenches but
they were fired on and two of them failed to return. I could still
hear the row and fighting in front of St. Julien, and the machine guns
were going fiercely. I was the last man back. I had borne a charmed
life all day, and certainly had a lot to be thankful for.

As we started out for S