▁( two ▁pl ato ons ) ▁were ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁R angers ▁to ▁clear ▁German ▁d ug outs . ▁However , ▁these ▁two ▁pl ato ons ▁had ▁already ▁lost ▁a ▁third ▁of ▁their ▁strength ▁while ▁waiting ▁to ▁move ▁up . ▁Only ▁ 1 0 ▁men ▁from ▁this ▁half - company ▁returned ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁day ' s ▁fighting . ▁The ▁batt alion ▁found ▁the ▁R angers ' ▁tren ches ▁badly ▁dam aged ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁counter - b omb ard ment , ▁and ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁lay ing ▁a ▁cur tain ▁of ▁shell fire ▁across ▁No ▁man ' s ▁land . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁morning , ▁A ▁and ▁C ▁Comp an ies ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁were ▁ordered ▁forward ▁through ▁this ▁bar rage ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁R angers . ▁Those ▁men ▁of ▁A ▁Company ▁who ▁got ▁across ▁No ▁man ' s ▁land ▁were ▁soon ▁left ▁leader less ▁when ▁all ▁their ▁officers ▁became ▁cas ual ties , ▁and ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁were ▁' mo pped ▁up ' ▁by ▁German ▁troops ▁and ▁taken ▁prisoner ; ▁only ▁ 1 8 ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁returned ▁after ▁the ▁attack . ▁Similarly ▁the ▁two ▁pl ato ons ▁of ▁C ▁company ▁that ▁attacked ▁lost ▁their ▁officers ▁and ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁were ▁brought ▁out ▁of ▁action ▁by ▁the ▁Company ▁Serge ant - M aj or . ▁When ▁the ▁batt alion ' s ▁carrying ▁parties ▁tried ▁to ▁cross ▁No ▁man ' s ▁land ▁with ▁supplies ▁at ▁ 1 0 . 4 5