, ▁the ▁wide ▁spaces ▁between ▁being ▁covered ▁by ▁machine ▁guns . ▁General ▁O sk ar ▁von ▁H ut ier ▁directed ▁four ▁German ▁divisions ▁under ▁Von ▁Gay l ▁against ▁this ▁front . ▁ 1 7 3 rd ▁Brigade ' s ▁Sign al ▁H Q ▁was ▁knock ed ▁out ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁bomb ard ment ▁and ▁no ▁orders ▁went ▁out , ▁but ▁L t - Col ▁D ann ▁deployed ▁the ▁companies ▁of ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁to ▁their ▁positions ▁on ▁his ▁own ▁initi ative . ▁The ▁whole ▁position ▁was ▁shr oud ed ▁in ▁mist , ▁a iding ▁the ▁German ▁in fil tr ation ▁tact ics . ▁They ▁cleared ▁the ▁For ward ▁Zone ▁by ▁m idd ay , ▁and ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁Zone ▁were ▁engaged ▁as ▁the ▁mist ▁lifted . ▁The ▁batt alion ▁held ▁on ▁until ▁night fall , ▁supported ▁by ▁det ach ments ▁of ▁ 2 / 3 rd ▁Lond ons ▁from ▁reserve ▁and ▁the ▁divis ional ▁pione ers ▁of ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁B n ▁Su ff olk ▁Regiment . ▁Most ▁of ▁C ▁Company ▁at ▁the ▁Tri angle ▁local ity , ▁supported ▁by ▁a ▁single ▁ 1 8 - p ound er ▁field ▁gun , ▁were ▁eventually ▁captured , ▁but ▁by ▁mid night ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁batt alion ▁had ▁with dra wn ▁in ▁good ▁order ▁across ▁the ▁Cro zat ▁Canal . ▁ ▁While ▁ 8 th ▁Lond ons ▁held ▁the ▁canal , ▁the ▁three ▁companies ▁of ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond