d to repel the assault
the Scotch troops in the ravine rushed forward to be joined presently
by other British troops that had by this time broken into the ravine,
when there followed a scene of indescribable confusion. The struggle,
however, was of short duration, when the Germans, at first singly and
then in groups, flung down their arms and surrendered. All the Germans
visible were made prisoners, but it was known that the tunnel and the
shelters and dugouts contained many men. A shrewd Scotch private who
had lived in Germany succeeded by strategy in drawing out most of the
Germans from their hiding places. The canny Scot took a German officer
who had surrendered, and leading him to suspected dugouts bade him
order the men inside to come out. This ruse worked happily and at one
dugout fifty Germans issued forth and surrendered.

While this struggle in the ravine was going on, other Scotch troops
had swarmed over the German lines higher up, and by noon had taken
possession of the site--there is no village--of Beaumont-Hamel. The
place is underlaid with many subterranean hiding places, and it was
during the process of gathering in the Germans concealed in these
underground shelters that some extraordinary incidents took place. One
example of personal bravery at this time must be cited. While the
fighting was still going on a man of the British Signal Corps was
running telephone lines up, and had just reached his goal in a
captured German trench when he was struck down before the mouth of a
dugout. Just as he collapsed a German officer appeared from the
depths, and "Signals" could see that there were a number of German
soldiers behind him. By a supreme effort the wounded man struggled to
his feet and ordered the officer to surrender. This the German was
quite ready to do. The Scot then pulled himself together and with his
remaining strength telephoned an explanation of the situation back
over the line which he had just laid. Having done this he stood guard
over the German officer in the opening of the dugout, keeping others
blocked behind him, until relieved of his charges by the arrival of
help. As a whole the Scots took over 1,000 prisoners and gathered in
fifty-four machine guns in the day's fighting.

No doubt the British successes in this area were gained by the
unexpectedness and dash of their attacks which took the Germans by
surprise. The foggy weather which prevailed had hampered the Germans
so that they were