ll s ). ▁ ▁German ▁art illery - fire ▁increased ▁at ▁the ▁K ink ▁again ▁at ▁ ▁and ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁concentr ations ▁of ▁shell - fire ▁on ▁a ▁small ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Vill ages ▁and ▁art illery ▁positions ▁behind ▁the ▁front ▁line ▁were ▁bomb arded ▁with ▁high ▁explos ive ▁and ▁gas ▁shell s . ▁The ▁ 1 3 th ▁Royal ▁Sc ots ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁line ▁had ▁been ▁killed , ▁cas ual ties ▁had ▁reduced ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁batt alion ▁by ▁half ▁and ▁the ▁ground ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁field ▁of ▁shell - hol es . ▁Battalion ▁headquarters ▁had ▁been ▁hit ▁by ▁a ▁shell ▁at ▁ ▁which ▁wounded ▁or ▁killed ▁everyone ▁inside ▁and ▁created ▁a ▁command ▁vac u um . ▁At ▁ ▁German ▁inf antry ▁moved ▁forward , ▁screen ed ▁by ▁the ▁cr aters ▁in ▁no ▁man ' s ▁land ▁and ▁over wh el med ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁in ▁the ▁front ▁line , ▁after ▁a ▁short ▁exchange ▁of ▁fire ▁and ▁then ▁occupied ▁An chor ▁T rench ▁just ▁behind , ▁as ▁the ▁surv iving ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁tren ch , ▁retre ated ▁to ▁S ack ville ▁Street . ▁ ▁The ▁German ▁attack ers ▁over shot , ▁because ▁the ▁British ▁tren ches ▁were ▁un recogn is able ▁and ▁almost ▁reached ▁the ▁British ▁third ▁line ▁in ▁the ▁glo om , ▁before ▁being ▁r al lied ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁objective , ▁at ▁the ▁British ▁second ▁line . ▁En tr ances ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁mine ▁gall eries ▁were ▁captured ▁and ▁