In Forgan’s trench there was a deadlock.  Across the valley and on the Southern slopes it was still full of the enemy, who had many machine guns.  Daylight made an attack over the open by “D” Company impossible, for as soon as anyone was seen to leave our lines he was at once fired upon.  Every effort was made with bombs and rifle grenades to dislodge the German machine gunners from their posts on the main road, but, though Serjts.  Marston and Haynes and L/Cpl.  Thurman did their utmost, no progress could be made.  Here, therefore, “D” Company had to stay throughout the day, almost powerless to help, except by harassing the enemy with stokes mortars from the high ground.  With daylight, the enemy also had complete command of the Eastern edge of Pontruet, and Lieuts.  Hawley and Steel had to lie very quiet; the slightest movement attracted the attention of the snipers in Forgan’s.

At 8-0 a.m. the battle was practically at a standstill, and the C.O. sent the Adjutant forward to see what could be done to improve our position.  The enemy’s artillery was now fairly quiet, and, except for the one machine gun post near the blockhouse, there seemed to be no Germans in Pontruet.  “A” and “B” Companies had exhausted all their grenades and Lewis gun ammunition in their efforts to capture this one post, but had failed, and our only hope was now that a 1st Divisional Tank would do it for us.  This Tank was seen coming up from the West, and, to attract its attention, we waved our helmets on our rifles.  It turned towards us, but suddenly broke down, and soon afterwards was put completely out of action.

At the same time, efforts were made to signal to Battalion Headquarters for ammunition, but the signal apparatus had all been destroyed in the fight.  The only flag available was one of the “red, white and black” Regimental flags, which the Adjutant happened to have in his pocket, and though this was vigorously waved, it could not be seen.  A runner had to be sent instead.

Meanwhile, though we had practically cleared the village of the enemy, we were not, as far as we knew at the Western end of it, holding it very strongly.  The only post known to “A” Company was Corporal Barber’s at the Cemetery.  “C” Company were supposed to be “somewhere at the other end,” but no one quite knew where.  However, with Corporal Barber was a “C” Company soldier—­Coles—­who undertook to find his way back to his Company.  Our idea was to form a line through the village at once, and, when ammunition arrived, push the line through to the far side.  Coles found “C” Company, but so hot was the sniping from Forgan’s, that any idea of moving men in that direction had to be abandoned, at any rate until darkness.  Coles himself was unable to return, so that the exact position of “C” Company was never known at Headquarters.