land ers . ▁The ▁remaining ▁four ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁the ▁brig ades ▁were ▁in ▁reserve ▁and ▁the ▁ 4 4 th ▁Brigade ▁was ▁accommod ated ▁in ▁b illet s ▁ ▁behind ▁the ▁front ▁line . ▁ ▁Battle ▁▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁At ▁ ▁German ▁art illery ▁began ▁to ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁Division ▁( M aj or - General ▁F . ▁McC ra cken ) ▁and ▁at ▁ ▁the ▁shell ing ▁fell ▁on ▁the ▁K ink , ▁from ▁Border ▁Red ou bt ▁to ▁Cl iff ord ▁Street , ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Royal ▁Sc ots ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 5 th ▁Brigade . ▁The ▁British ▁art illery ▁returned ▁fire ▁soon ▁after ▁but ▁dust ▁and ▁smoke ▁obsc ured ▁the ▁front ▁and ▁made ▁observation ▁impossible . ▁McC ra cken ▁ordered ▁the ▁reserve ▁brig ade ▁to ▁read iness , ▁moved ▁a ▁batt alion ▁to ▁No y elles ▁and ▁man ned ▁machine - g uns ▁in ▁the ▁Village ▁Line . ▁At ▁ ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁spr ung ▁a ▁mine ▁near ▁ ▁Red ou bt ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁German ▁art illery - fire ▁on ▁the ▁K ink ▁dimin ished ▁and ▁increased ▁at ▁the ▁red ou bt . ▁British ▁art illery ▁also ▁switched ▁targets ▁and ▁a ▁German ▁inf antry ▁attack ▁was ▁rep uls ed ▁by ▁the ▁art illery ▁and ▁the ▁small - ar ms ▁fire ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Ar gy ll ▁and ▁S uther land ▁High land ers ▁( 1 1 th ▁Ar gy