▁of ▁li que f ied ▁ch alk ▁and ▁mud ▁at ▁the ▁cr ater ▁bottom s ▁was ▁not ▁suitable ▁material ▁for ▁protection . ▁Re vet ing ▁d ug ▁into ▁the ▁cr ater ▁lips ▁was ▁soon ▁blow n ▁up ▁by ▁German ▁shell s ▁or ▁sli pped ▁down ▁the ▁cr ater ▁sides . ▁ ▁The ▁K ink ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁fighting ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁the ▁British ▁front ▁line ▁near ▁ ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁bl unt ▁sal ient ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁K ink , ▁between ▁the ▁ ▁Red ou bt ▁and ▁the ▁C ité ▁St . ▁El ie ▁quar ries . ▁The ▁sal ient ▁was ▁about ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁lay ▁on ▁a ▁slight ▁slope ▁down ▁to ▁ ▁and ▁had ▁two ▁out cro ps , ▁the ▁K ink ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁and ▁H uss ar ▁Horn ▁on ▁the ▁left . ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁over look ed ▁from ▁the ▁ ▁Red ou bt , ▁by ▁ ▁and ▁from ▁several ▁mine ▁cr aters ▁in ▁no ▁man ' s ▁land . ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁regularly ▁bomb arded ▁with ▁great ▁accuracy ▁by ▁German ▁art illery ▁and ▁tren ch ▁mort ars . ▁German ▁min ing ▁had ▁left ▁no ▁man ' s ▁land , ▁which ▁was ▁only ▁ ▁wide , ▁a ▁cr ater ▁field ▁occupied ▁by ▁both ▁sides . ▁Many ▁British ▁troops ▁considered ▁that ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁the ▁worst ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front . ▁The ▁ 1 7 0 th ▁T unn elling ▁Company ▁RE ▁had ▁eventually ▁managed ▁to ▁gain ▁domin ance ▁over ▁the ▁German ▁min ers ▁and