y to put in Y Company also. No further developments occurred till
about 5 p.m., when Y Company on the right found that the 24th Division on
their right was withdrawing to Chaulnes ridge. A defensive flank was
formed, and X Company moved to the north-east of Hyencourt to deliver a
counter-attack if necessary. For a couple of hours the prospect looked
very black, but the enemy did not press his advantage, and about 7 p.m.
orders were received to withdraw the Battalion to a line of old trenches
south-east of Pressoire. Here a quiet night was spent, with only a few
casualties from shell fire.

About 9 a.m. the next day the enemy renewed his attacks and a hurried
withdrawal of the whole of the 8th Division was ordered. The instructions
which reached the Battalion were somewhat confused, but along with the
Battalions of the 24th Infantry Brigade they moved from the trenches in
artillery formation, and passing through the ruins of Lihons--which was
under observation, and consequently was heavily shelled as the men passed
through it--continued the withdrawal almost to Rosieres. About a mile
south-east of that village a line was formed, but no further attack took
place. In this position the Battalion had the 2nd Northants on its left
and a Labour Battalion on its right.

At 9.30 a.m. the next day (the 27th) the Labour Battalion withdrew and
forced the two forward Companies of the Battalion to do the same. A
counter-attack was delivered, however, and the line restored by the end
of the day. The enemy renewed his attacks on the following morning, and
the 24th Division on the right retired to Warvillers. Y Company then
moved to Vrely to cover the withdrawal of the remainder of the Battalion
to a line near Caix. It was during these operations that Lieut.-Col. F.W.
Robson, D.S.O., was killed. He had commanded the Battalion for nearly a
year, and could truly claim that he had realised his ambition of making
it one of the finest in France. The best type of the Territorial officer,
his death was a personal loss to every officer and man who served under
him. The same day Capt. H. Walton, M.C., commanding Z Company, was also
killed.

The three Companies in the Caix valley occupied a wired trench facing
Rosieres, and were told that the troops in front would retire and occupy
the line with them. Instead, however, these troops passed through them,
and the whole line fell back to the wood south-east of Caix. Here the
remains of the Battalio