a retreat. Joffre made Maud'huy's independent as the Tenth Army and told Castelnau to keep the Second Army in position, because the increasing number of troops arriving further north would divert German pressure. By 6 October, the Second Army front from the Oise to the Somme and the Tenth Army front from Thiepval to Arras and Souchez had been stabilised. A German cavalry attack to the north of the 6th Army, pushed back the French Territorial divisions from Lens to Lille and on 5 October, Marwitz ordered the cavalry to advance westwards to Abbeville on the Channel coast and cut the railways leading south. At the end of 6 October, Falkenhayn terminated attempts by the 2nd Army to break through in Picardy. To the north, the I and II Cavalry corps attacked between Lens and Lille and were quickly forced back behind the Lorette Spur. Next day, the cavalry was attacked by the first troops of the French XXI Corps to arrive as they advanced eastwards from Béthune. Third phase, 15 October–November Battle of La Bassée, 10 October – 2 November The German 6th Army took Lille before a British force could secure the town and the 4th Army attacked the exposed British flank at Ypres. On 9 October, the German XIV Corps arrived opposite the French and the German 1st and 2nd Cavalry corps tried a flanking move between La Bassée and Armentières but the French cavalry stopped the Germans north of La Bassée Canal. The German 4th Cavalry Corps passed through Ypres on 7 October and was forced back to Bailleul by French Territorial troops. From the British II Corps arrived by rail at Abbeville and advanced on Béthune. By the end of 11 October, II Corps held a line from Béthune to Hinges and Chocques, with flanking units on the right, south of Béthune and on the left to the west. On 12 October, II Corps attacked to reach Givenchy and Pont du Hem, north of La Bassée Canal. The German I and II Cavalry corps and attached tried to delay the advance but the British repulsed a counter-attack near Givenchy. From II Corps attacked eastwards up La Bassée Canal and managed short advances on the flanks, with help from French cavalry but lost From the corps attacks pivoted on the right and the left flank advanced to Aubers against German opposition at every ditch and bridge.