▁further ▁than ▁ 5 0 ▁yards ▁from ▁their ▁starting ▁position , ▁trying ▁to ▁get ▁round ▁the ▁gun ▁p its , ▁until ▁darkness ▁began ▁to ▁fall ▁and ▁German ▁counter - att acks ▁developed . ▁The ▁batt alion ▁was ▁with dra wn ▁having ▁suffered ▁ 3 0 0 ▁cas ual ties . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁batt alion ▁reached ▁its ▁rest ▁b illet s ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁reduced ▁to ▁ 2 7 5 ▁all ▁ranks . ▁There ▁followed ▁months ▁of ▁light ▁training ▁and ▁line - hold ing ▁in ▁the ▁Ne uve ▁Chap elle ▁sector ▁while ▁the ▁units ▁of ▁ 5 6 th ▁Division ▁were ▁slowly ▁re built . ▁Despite ▁further ▁cas ual ties ▁while ▁holding ▁the ▁line , ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁att ained ▁a ▁strength ▁of ▁ 8 5 0 ▁all ▁ranks ▁when ▁it ▁returned ▁to ▁active ▁operations ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁Ar ras ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁the ▁ 5 6 th ▁Division ▁was ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁attack ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁forth coming ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ar ras ▁when ▁pat rol s ▁discovered ▁that ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁in ▁front ▁had ▁disappeared ▁– ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁their ▁retre at ▁to ▁the ▁H inden burg ▁Line . ▁At ▁Ar ras ▁this ▁retre at ▁was ▁minor , ▁so ▁the ▁attack ▁went ▁in ▁on ▁schedule ▁on ▁ 9 ▁April , ▁from ▁old ▁German ▁communication ▁tren ches , ▁where ▁the ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁hurried ly ▁had ▁to ▁dig ▁fresh ▁assembly ▁tren ches . ▁The