▁When ▁the ▁Sc ots ▁attacked ▁from ▁, ▁it ▁was ▁found ▁that ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁had ▁moved ▁up ▁and ▁occupied ▁the ▁far ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Scottish ▁bar rica de ▁and ▁engaged ▁the ▁attack ers ▁immediately . ▁C ▁Company , ▁reached ▁ ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁forced ▁out ▁by ▁German ▁art illery ▁and ▁tren ch ▁mort ar ▁fire . ▁At ▁ ▁another ▁attack ▁was ▁ordered ▁by ▁B ▁Company , ▁two ▁pl ato ons ▁of ▁which ▁had ▁occupied ▁part ▁of ▁H ull uch ▁Al ley ▁close ▁to ▁, ▁under ▁fire ▁from ▁heavy ▁art illery ▁all ▁day . ▁ ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁ordered ▁for ▁ ▁when ▁the ▁Scottish ▁field ▁art illery ▁was ▁to ▁begin ▁a ▁bar rage ▁on ▁. ▁A ▁Company , ▁which ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁bomb arded ▁all ▁day , ▁was ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁the ▁front ▁line ▁to ▁the ▁assembly ▁point ▁in ▁darkness ▁and ▁over ▁ground , ▁because ▁the ▁ground ▁to ▁the ▁front ▁rose ▁towards ▁the ▁German ▁front ▁line ▁in ▁Crown ▁T rench . ▁It ▁took ▁until ▁mid night ▁before ▁B ▁Company ▁was ▁ready ; ▁the ▁attack ▁was ▁cancel led ▁and ▁the ▁troops ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁cons olid ate ▁the ▁position ▁before ▁dawn . ▁McC ra cken ▁ended ▁attempts ▁to ▁re capt ure ▁the ▁lost ▁ground , ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁German ▁had ▁improved ▁their ▁positions ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁, ▁since ▁the ▁new ▁front ▁line ▁along ▁S ack ville ▁Street ▁and ▁the ▁support ▁line ▁behind , ▁were ▁better ▁than ▁the ▁exposed ▁lines ▁at ▁the ▁K ink , ▁a ▁decision ▁which ▁was ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁First ▁Army ▁commander