 The situation became dire , forcing troops to withdraw towards Ham , which itself had to be evacuated . The Third and Fifth Armies went into retreat . The 1st King 's , occupying positions near <unk> Wood during the Battle of Bapaume , came under attack on the 24th but held out until their deteriorating flanks compelled a retreat that was covered by about 30 men from its headquarters . The battalion commander , Lieutenant @-@ Colonel Murray @-@ Lyon , had just 60 men at his command when they arrived at <unk> later in the day . On 28 March , the offensive was extended to Arras , which was soon repulsed by the Allies . Having lost its <unk> and suffered about 250 @,@ 000 casualties , comparable to Allied losses , Germany abandoned the operation on 5 April . The German Army did not relent and launched Operation Georgette in Flanders on 9 April . The first @-@ day of the Battle of the Lys involved the three King 's battalions of the 165th Brigade , situated at Estaires . The bombardment against Allied positions began at <unk> and the subsequent infantry attack displaced Portuguese forces by 0800 , exposing the left flank of the 165th . The King 's repulsed the frontal assaults with heavy casualties but continued to be attacked from the flanks . Counter @-@ attacks by the 1 / 7th King 's and 2 / 5th Lancashire Fusiliers took up to 500 prisoners . 
