. ▁ ▁British ▁def ensive ▁prepar ations ▁The ▁ 1 5 th ▁Division ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁line ▁around ▁the ▁K ink ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁April , ▁a ▁day ▁when ▁German ▁art illery ▁and ▁tren ch ▁mort ar ▁fire ▁increased . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁May , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁ble w ▁a ▁small ▁mine ▁at ▁H uss ar ▁Horn ▁and ▁a ▁second ▁mine ▁on ▁ 5 ▁May , ▁which ▁did ▁no ▁damage ▁and ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁to ▁be ▁for ▁improvements ▁to ▁the ▁German ▁def ences . ▁German ▁machine - gun ▁fire ▁had ▁increased ▁at ▁night , ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁were ▁trying ▁to ▁cons olid ate ▁the ▁cr aters ▁in ▁no ▁man ' s ▁land , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁firing ▁a ▁bomb ard ment ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁tren ches ▁on ▁ 6 ▁May . ▁After ▁the ▁British ▁ret ali atory ▁bomb ard ment , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁normal ▁amount ▁of ▁art illery - fire . ▁By ▁ 1 1 ▁May , ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁Division ▁front ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁ 4 6 th ▁Brigade ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁with ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁King ' s ▁O wn ▁Scottish ▁Border ers ▁( 8 th ▁K O SB ) ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 0 th ▁Scottish ▁R if les . ▁On ▁the ▁left , ▁the ▁ 4 5 th ▁Brigade ▁held ▁a ▁sector ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Royal ▁Sc ots ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Ar gy ll ▁and ▁S uther land ▁High