A party of the 11th D.L.I. had meanwhile fought a spirited action on the extreme right. “A” Company of this battalion near Villers Plouich took up a position to cover the approaches from the south and was not engaged, but the headquarters and “C” Company were in Gouzeaucourt at the time when the German attack was developing against the village. Except for heavy gun-fire nothing very unusual was apparent until 9.15 A.M., when Lieut.-Colonel G. Hayes, commanding the battalion, noticed men coming back and horses galloping towards Fins. At that moment heavy machine-gun fire was heard close to the village and an artillery sergeant-major stated that the enemy was coming over in masses from the direction of Villers Guislain. Lieut.-Colonel Hayes immediately led the party out towards a small hill, known as Hill 135, some 700 yards south-west of the village. There he saw the Germans advancing in the most perfect order, entirely unopposed. The leading waves were by that time across the railway and the others were in force on the ridge behind, from which they swept the crest of Hill 135 with machine-gun fire. He ordered one platoon to defend the houses in the southern end of Gouzeaucourt, in order to cover the left flank, placed two along the road between Hill 135 and the village to check the advance from the ridge in front, and sent one to the southern end of the hill to protect the exposed right flank. The men were well led by the company commander, Lieut. Bushell, who showed great coolness and courage throughout the day. Three sections of R.E. of another division then came up; two were sent to reinforce the left flank and one to fill the gap between the top of the hill and the right platoon. The machine-gun fire was by this time extremely heavy; the Germans had broken through Gouzeaucourt, where the left platoon had found them already in possession. Lieut.-Colonel Hayes, therefore sent Sgt.-Major M’Evoy and twenty men to a position a little south of the main road 1500 yards west of Gouzeaucourt, with orders to hold on to the last man and cover the retirement of the others. The rest of the company and the R.E. withdrew to this line under heavy machine-gun fire both from the town and from Hill 135, but with comparatively little loss. Later the 20th Hussars reinforced the party and prolonged the line to the right, and at noon the counter attack of the Guards on Gouzeaucourt relieved the situation. The adjutant of the 11th D.L.I., Captain Tollit, had meanwhile returned to the old battalion headquarters and succeeded in getting away with the confidential papers; he was sent to Sorel for machine guns and reinforcements, and then returned to the line. On the following day “C” Company moved back to a position near Villers Plouich. In the A.D.S. at Gouzeaucourt between thirty and forty wounded were lying when shell and machine-gun fire gave the first warning of the enemy’s approach.