By noon the situation appeared more serious than might be inferred from the above, as the 34th Pioneers and 9th Bhopals had been forced from all their trenches, and this, added to the gap caused by portions of the 58th Rifles retiring, left a long line of front trenches in possession of the enemy. A counter-attack by the 6th Jats was unsuccessful, being checked by machine-gun fire. Our Artillery materially assisted in preventing any further enemy advance, and General Anderson ordered the 1/39th Garhwalis to Gorre, and the Leicesters and 3rd Gurkhas to be prepared to move from La Couture. He also directed Macbean to recover the lost trenches and enemy sap-heads, and the Garhwal Brigade Reserve to move up to the rear of Macbean’s left. As the enemy increased in numbers and was plentifully supplied with bombs, General Joubert in command of the French on our immediate right was asked to co-operate if it became necessary, and the G.O.C. 8th British Division offered his Artillery support, but neither of these aids proved necessary. Whilst matters were thus shaping themselves, the company of the Rangers had been obliged by the exposure of its right flank to move to its left into the section held by the 57th Rifles and 129th Baluchis. The position when General Egerton arrived to take over the direction of affairs was this. On our left the 57th Rifles and 129th Baluchis stood firm, whilst the company of the Rangers had moved into this section also and was defending itself with success. The section was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Southey of the 129th Baluchis, and he had, by occupying some houses in rear of his exposed flank, completely held up the enemy, and saved any chance of their further advance in this direction. The whole of the centre of our front trenches to the right, viz. those formerly held by the 34th Pioneers, 9th Bhopals, and the greater part of the 58th Rifles, were in German possession. The remainder of the 58th held on, and the Black Watch on the right had not moved. Seeing how matters stood I ordered the Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade up to close billets in Essars, to be available as a reinforcement.